Special thanks to maidenpride for this one-shot idea!
It was a slow day. Buzz had Christmas music playing from his desk where he was wearing his newest Christmas sweater, a Rudolph with an actual blinking light on the front. Provenza was wearing his typical, traditional Christmas tie, this one with Santa riding on a reindeer while he leaned back at his desk and worked on the newest crossword book, an early Christmas present courtesy of Patrice. Amy, like Buzz, had on a Christmas sweater, one with a cat wearing a Christmas hat. Mike was at his desk, scrolling though pictures of a surfing competition in Hawaii, dreaming of his white Christmas-white sand beach Christmas-that is. Julio was at his desk, wrapping gifs for Mark. Provenza grumbled each time he glanced to him, something about the kid getting too many presents and being spoiled for Christmas. Wes and Cami were sending each other links to area Christmas parties at local, upscale bars and wine rooms. Andy was at his desk, also in the Christmas spirit with his bright red tie. Sharon had picked out a red dress that morning, and he made a special note to wear a coordinating tie. He was busy on his phone, looking up gifts for Sharon. He had his chair turned sideways so he could keep an eye on her movement, because while the team was distracted and taking a much-needed easy day, he was sure Sharon was hard at work in her office. The place was quiet, and that didn't happen often. The team was enjoying the silence for once.
Mike's phone caused several to jump; no one realized just how quiet it had gotten. While he took his call, the rest went back to their tasks.
"Canceled!" Mike yelled loudly as he stood up quickly. The rest of the team paused and looked to him. It was very much unlike Mike to get this excited, especially when it didn't involve scientific findings of a case. "What do you mean it's canceled?" The team continued to stare at Mike, trying to use their detective skills to piece together what had Mike so flustered.
"Any bets on that?" Amy whispered to the group. The silence and quiet stares gave no answer.
"So, we're done? They aren't going further? That's it?" he asked again. "Right, I. know they finished that, but that's really it?"
The team watched Mike start to pace the room; something had him completely distracted.
"He looks like he lost his best friend," Julio frowned. "Oh, wait," he grinned and continued, "that's me, and I'm still here."
"Yeah, fine. I'll be by later," he sighed and hung up. He tossed his phone down on his desk hastily and kicked at his chair.
"Tao, what's going on? I haven't seen you this worked up since Hickman was here," Provenza told him as he sat up and turned toward Mike. "Throwing things, kicking your chair, why you've been spending too much time with Julio." Julio rolled his eyes at Provenza and turned back to Mike.
Mike took a deep breath and turned to the group, "I've just found out," he took a deep breath again and shook his head. "I almost can't even say it. It's too painful," he admitted. The team's concerned faces glanced to each other, but no one knew what to say. Mike took another deep breath and blurted it out, "I've just found out that the network has decided to cancel Badge of Justice, effective immediately. We have three more episodes done, ready to air, and after that, we are done, off the network. No real closure."
"Wait, what?' Amy asked. "They canceled your show?"
"It's not his show," Andy stated almost proudly from his desk where he was already texting Rusty the news. He knew Rusty loved the show and couldn't' wait to tell him. Andy looked up to find everyone glaring at him. "What? It's not his show. He's the technical advisor. Just pointing out a fact." The team continued to glare at Andy as he sent his text with a little smirk still on his face. He looked to the group again, "Oh, Mike, I'm really sorry to hear that. I know you've worked on the show a long time."
"Tao, why did the cancel it? It was doing well, wasn't it?" Julio asked.
"The ratings had gone down a certain percentage. It's a complex equation, that I can draw out on the board for you right now," he hopped up to go to the board. "I have all the stats here, but I never imagined it was in that kind of trouble."
"No, no," Provenza held up his hand and rolled his chair slightly to block Mike's path to the board. "We trust you on the numbers, and besides, explaining calculus to us regarding show stats now isn't going to change anything."
Andy's phone alerted him to a text, and he grinned as he read it. He could almost hear the misery in Rusty's voice. Rusty's text said, "Are you serious! My favorite show! They can't just leave it hanging! It's like the one show I've watched with Sharon since I first moved in with her." Andy continued to grin as he read the text, and when he looked to the group, he quickly schooled his features.
"Sorry," Andy nodded, "pictures of our grandsons," he gestured, trying to give a plausible explanation for his giddy smile.
"I don't know what I'm going to do," Mike shook his head. "All three boys are still in college. The oldest, we are paying for his master's degree in architecture, and the other two are still in undergrad, but I told them we'd take care of it. The show is how I cover all the tuition. I can't believe it's been canceled. I almost don't have the heart to call my wife."
"Tao, let's take a break, get a cup of coffee," Julio stood and gestured to Mike. "You might want to calm down a little before you call home."
"Lieutenant, I only started watching it after I met you. Sorry for the loss," Wes nodded to him.
"Next to watching Casey on television when she does the weather, Badge has been my thing on tv, my favorite show," Buzz offered a sad smile. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant. Casey will be upset too. We try to FaceTime each other when we watch each week."
"Buzz, you and your sister FaceTime to watch Badge together?" Andy asked, an irritated look on his face.
"Well, yeah, Lieutenant, we've always loved the same shows, and each season we pick a couple of our favorites to watch together each week. Do you have a problem with that? I'm sure you and the commander have shows you watch together."
"Well, yeah," Andy shrugged, all eyes now on him. Neither he nor Sharon said much about their home life to the team. Obviously, the team was aware that, as a married couple, they had a home life. "Sharon and I watch plenty of shows, but Badge isn't one of them, and we live in the same house. She's my wife. She watches that with Rusty, not me," he nodded. When he saw people give him different dirty looks, he tried to fix his last statement, "I only mean that because that was their thing before I was around all the time. I didn't want to intrude on that, and besides, it is my meeting night, so it's a win-win for our family."
"Flynn," Provenza sighed as he shook his head.
"What? I've seen the show. Sharon loves the re-runs, and she likes to watch them late at night in our room when she can't sleep," he said and the team groaned at the image. "Now, I can let you in on a little secret," Andy grinned and leaned forward. The team continued to look at him, and Andy was unaware that Mike seemed to be getting more and more frustrated. "Sharon loves that American Scavenger Hunt, you know that show we had to investigate a couple years ago?" Andy grinned as he looked around the room and nodded, "I almost couldn't get through the stack of episodes Buzz brought me that day, but when I sat down with Sharon to go over some details, she got hooked. You talk about things we watch at home," he nodded again, "Sharon makes me watch that with her. Now, that's a terrible show."
"Lieutenant, we are all sorry about your show. Are you going to be okay, financially and all?" Amy asked.
Mike sighed as he looked to the ceiling, "I'll have to do some moving of funds, and Kathy won't be able to remodel the kitchen in the spring like she wanted, but I guess we'll be okay. I don't know how I'll find another job like that."
"Yeah, how does one go about finding a job like that, Mike?" Andy asked.
"Tao," Julio glared at Andy, "let's get that coffee." Mike nodded, and the two men started toward the break room. After they were out of the room, Provenza turned back to glare at Andy.
"Really?" he asked. "You couldn't be a little more understanding?"
"What? I told him I was sorry to hear about his show? I'm not going to cry. The show was terrible." His phone alerted him to another text, and he quickly dug out his phone.
"Who are you talking to with the texting?" Provenza gestured to him. "I know it's not pictures of the grandkids."
Andy looked to him with a sheepish glance, "Oh, well, that was for Mike. See, I was trying to be sensitive," he nodded. "Rusty," he held up his phone. "I told you he loved the show. He's devastated. Oh, which reminds me," Andy jumped to his feet and turned to Sharon's office.
"Try to contain your excitement when you break the bad news to your wife," Provenza grumbled. The team all chuckled and turned back to their work. They all planned to watch the scene play out in Sharon's office as soon as Andy walked in and closed the door.
"Oh, I will," he grinned. "Merry Christmas to me. I think I'll tell Sharon this is present enough, the gift that will keep on giving. It's like the greatest gift of all. It is, indeed, the most wonderful time of the year."
Andy walked into Sharon's office, without knocking, because he rarely knocked on her door anymore.
"Why does he hate the show so much?" Cami asked.
"We all think he's jealous," Amy turned to tell her. "Lieutenant Tao was recommended for the job, not Lieutenant Flynn."
"So, has he always been this obvious about his dislike of the show?" Cami asked Amy.
"Ha, you should have seen him when we threw a party for the lieutenant. The captain, well, she was the captain at the time, got Lieutenant Tao a cake and all. It was nice. She had to almost physically restrain the lieutenant from the cake. He wanted to murder it. I'll never forget how he stabbed at it to cut it. It was almost frightening, like he was out for the kill. If I wasn't sure he loved the commander as much as he does, I might be worried he'd take his Badge hatred out at home. She does a good job keeping him in check. I've seen her actually make the lieutenant apologize to Lieutenant Tao for complaining about the show. Lieutenant Flynn almost acts like a child when the show is mentioned. He pouts and complains, and I guess since the captain has raised three children of her own, she's used to dealing with pouting family members. She keeps him in line," Buzz smiled slightly.
"Well, maybe pouty Flynn will go back into hiding now that the show won't be discussed all the time," Provenza stated. "We had pouty Flynn when he was trying to date the commander, and then once they started dating, he turned his pouting attitude toward Mike's show. I don't deal with pouting."
The team all glanced to Provenza and started to laugh. "That's a good one, Lieutenant Provenza," Cami smiled. "You don't deal with pouting," she laughed and shook her head. "You're the king of it." Provenza threw a glare at Cami and then turned back to his crossword.
Meanwhile, Andy almost skipped into Sharon's office; he was excited, giddy to be exact.
"You're in a good mood," Sharon looked up to him and smiled. "What's got you so excited."
"GREAT NEWS," he exclaimed as he patted his hands on her desk and sat down in the chair to talk to her.
"Oh, did the LEGO sets we wanted to get the boys for Christmas go on sale?" she asked excitedly.
"No," Andy frowned, but before he could tell her, she continued.
"Oh, the computer for Rusty is on sale! Andy, he will love that for Christmas!" Sharon exclaimed.
"No! This has nothing to do with Christmas!" he said, now exasperated. "Badge was canceled," he raised his hands as if he was cheering and threw a huge grin toward Sharon.
"What?" Sharon asked, now confused. "Mike's show was canceled?" Sharon's expression could be be described as horrified as she processed what he said.
"It's not Mike's show!" He complained and when he looked to Sharon and saw she'd crossed her arms to glare at him, he raised on hand in defeat. "Okay, fine. Yes, they canceled Mike's show. He just got the call."
"Andy, please tell me you did not run in here like a gazelle to tell me you are relishing in your friend's misery, our good friend and colleague?" Sharon scolded him.
Andy sat back and pursed his lips, "Ahh, no, I'm not. I'm devastated, simply devastated," he nodded and glanced to the floor. Sharon's phone alerted her to a text, and she glanced to it, as it was sitting on her desk. She frowned when she looked back at Andy.
"You've already told Rusty?" she asked as she shook her head and held up the phone.
"Sharon, I'm just making sure our son has the emotional support he needs," he said as he tried not to grin. "I know you two love the show. Mike said there are three more episodes, and that's it, no story conclusions."
"No!" Sharon said quite loudly and glanced to the team to make sure it wasn't loud enough for them to hear. She could tell they were trying to study the two of them discreetly, but they were all doing a poor job of it. "They can't just end it! How will we ever find out what they were going to do with the captain? They should at least finish the season."
"I guess that will be left to your memory; you are the author of your own story, Sharon. It ends in your mind, how you want it to end" Andy shrugged and held back a grin. "Anyway, Julio took Mike for coffee, and that sounded like a good idea."
"Yes, you're probably right," Sharon nodded as she looked away. Andy could tell she was daydreaming. "That was a good idea."
"Yeah, I thought a break, getting lunch now was a good plan. You in?" he asked.
Sharon turned and sighed as she shook her head, "You were saying that because you thought it was a good time for a lunch break? I thought you were being sensitive, thinking of your friend. Obviously, Julio was thinking of his friend, consoling him in a time of sadness."
Andy rolled his eyes and sighed, "Sharon, it's just a show. Look, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be insensitive. It's just a show."
"Well, WE," she emphasized, "need to offer our support, to be his friend right now. That has to be hard, Andy. He's worked on the show for years, and oh, the money," she brought her hand to her face.
"Can we NOT talk about how much money Tao makes on the show," Andy sighed and looked down as he shook his head.
"It's a huge loss, all around," Sharon stood. "I would like to see him myself, offer OUR support," she said as she glared at Andy. He looked to her, and he knew with her tone that he needed to jump on the support train.
"You're probably right," he nodded. "I'll walk with you."
"Good," she offered him a small smile as she reached for her door handle. "I think we should host a dinner, a sort of finale party for him. It's the least we can do."
"You can't be serious!" Andy exclaimed.
Sharon turned back to Andy before she stepped out of the room. She knew the team could now hear them, so she lowered her voice, "You will be at that party, and you will be kind. We'll make dinner, have cake, and it will be fun. You will be on your best behavior and will not pout."
Andy just nodded, and as she turned to walk, he looked up and with a satisfied nod, said, "I'll volunteer to make the cake."