THE ART OF DESTINY

We fell in love, despite our differences, and once we did, something rare and beautiful was created. For me, love like that has only happened once, and that's why every minute we spent together has been seared in my memory. I'll never forget a single moment of it. -Nicholas Sparks

Disclaimer:

This is unbeta'd. All mistakes are mine. I haven't written anything in years so please be kind and patient with me.

Chapter 1

"I'm sorry Andy. I can't."

It's been six weeks since that awful moment outside her office. Six agonizing weeks of going back and forth inside her head thinking if she did the right thing. Six weeks of trying to act as normal as possible around him. Six weeks of tossing and turning at night. Six weeks of trying to justify to herself that what she did was for the best—for her, for him and for the squad.

She could see how nervous he was when he handed her that case folder. He was smiling but his uncertainty was evident on his stance. All day long Andy seemed on edge and she had no idea why. And then he mentioned Serve and going out on a romantic dinner.

The next few days after that fateful night were awkward at best. To be fair, Andy never showed resentment towards her. He still looks at her but there was no warmth in his eyes anymore. His smile now polite and neutral. The small touches were gone. It's funny how you get used to some things without acknowledging them but the moment you lose it, your life doesn't feel like the same anymore. She misses their late night talks, their dinners, his small touches; she misses him and the only person she should blame for this situation is herself.

"I'll be here. In case you need me."

She needs him now. She wants him in her life. The pain is so great and she doesn't know how to make it stop. This is all her fault. She took him for granted. She never gave anything back in return and Andy never demanded anything from her. He was patient. He was perfect for her. She knew that now.

But Sharon was too scared to jump. Too scared to take a chance on him. On them. And now it's too late because there he is, sitting across a beautiful woman inside the Italian place they used to eat every Friday. He was smiling at the redhead and she saw the woman reach out and touched Andy's hand. Her small hand circling his wrist. She was not prepared for the pain that struck her heart.

"Ma'am, your table is ready."

Rusty noticed the moment Sharon froze beside him. The maître d' was talking to her but Sharon's eyes were fixed somewhere else. Following her line of sight, Rusty saw Flynn and another woman. He gritted his teeth when he saw the woman holding Flynn's hand. So this is why Sharon was not acting like herself for several weeks now. He never dared to ask but he noticed the change in dynamics between his foster mother and her lieutenant. They're more formal towards each other and the dinner dates suddenly stopped. Now he knew why. Andy Flynn has set his eyes on another woman and now he's so enraged that he wants to stomp inside and confront him. No matter if the guy is much older than him, he wouldn't let anyone hurt Sharon.

He returned his gaze on Sharon and saw her swallow and smile. She looked at the woman in front of them. "I'm sorry. There's been a change of plans. We won't be dining here. Kindly give our reservation to someone else." She touched Rusty's shoulder and maneuver him towards the door. "Come on Rusty."

Trying to put on a neutral face, he turned to her and replied, "I think that's probably a good idea. I suddenly lost my appetite for Italian pasta." Sharon smiled at him gratefully and together they turned towards the glass door. Sitting beside Sharon in the car, Rusty turned towards her, "Who's that lady with Flynn?" No need to act clueless now.

Eyes still on the road, he saw Sharon's hands gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. He thought she wouldn't answer him but this seems to be a night of surprises when she suddenly responded, "I have no idea and I don't intend to find out." And that was the truth. She'd rather not torture herself by trying to find out who that woman is.

His brows drawn together as he stared at her in confusion, "But aren't you supposed to be dating each other? I mean, you go out a lot since last year and suddenly…" He stopped talking when he saw Sharon took a deep breath. "Oh my god. Are you telling me that he cheated on you?!" When Sharon did not reply, Rusty felt his anger bubbled faster. "That evil, smug…"

"No Rusty. He did not cheat on me," Sharon whispered before her foster son said something more derogatory against Andy. She glanced at him and smiled sadly. "Don't get mad at Andy. It was my fault."

Finally turning his body towards her, confusion written across his face, Rusty asked, "Why? I don't understand."

With her eyes on the road, Sharon took a deep breath and said, "I said no to him. That night he asked me out. Officially. On a romantic date. I said no. I thought it was the right thing to do. You know, for everyone. I guess I'm wrong." She wasn't looking at him but Rusty could see the anguish on Sharon's face. "Let's not talk about it anymore, okay?"

Knowing that is the extent of what Sharon is willing to share with him, Rusty nodded. "Alright." No need to elaborate anything. Sharon and Andy are over that much he understands. He just hoped it wasn't the case. Those two were like two peas in a pod. Yes, they started off with hostility, but as the years went by, Andy became the best friend that Sharon never had. He was a partner. A good friend. The relationship had potential. Too bad it didn't work out.

A/N:

Most of the stories I've read portray Andy as the one who chases after Sharon. He's the one who messes up. He's the brave on to admit that he loves her. So I just thought, what if we reverse that? It took me a long time to get the courage to write again. I haven't written in years and posting this story scares me. Reviews and comments are welcome. Let me know if I should continue this little story of mine. xoxo