Plots and Machinations

by Kadi

Rated K+

Disclaimer: It isn't my sandbox, but I do enjoy visiting it every now and then. I promise to return all the toys when I'm done with them!

A/N: Post episode addition for 3x08 Cutting Loose. The Challenge for this was issued by leveragus & lontanissima. The prompt to write a follow-up where Andy remains behind to help Sharon clean up. Well, ladies… I do hope that you enjoy!

It was late before the party finally wound down. She leaned back against the door after closing it behind the last guest and let her eyes close. She exhaled quietly and let the success of the evening wash over her. He was happy, and the smile that seemed to light his face throughout the evening had her lips curving upward in abject joy. Sharon drew a breath and concentrated on that feeling. She was almost giddy with it. Such a rare thing, to see Rusty genuinely happy, and despite his misgivings about the idea of a celebration for him, he had truly enjoyed himself.

Sharon's eyes opened and swept the room. They fell upon Rusty almost immediately. He was still smiling, even as he began clearing away plates and cups. Her head tilted, and a warmth filled her while she watched him. For just a moment longer she basked, not only in his accomplishment, but in his finally having realized just how wonderful it was. She thought, perhaps, until the moment the party began, he was locking down his own joy. There was little that Rusty had reason to be happy about in the past. Even his mother's return.

Sharon stopped those thoughts before they could fully take form and pushed them aside. Instead she chose to focus on just how much she adored this boy, this young man, who was soon to be hers. That was another spark of joy, and perhaps it had been fueling her need to celebrate. She had been feeling a bit like she was walking on clouds since he voiced his desire to move forward with the adoption. Now those papers were filed, and the adoption was pending. The moment that her divorce was final, it would be pushed through. Soon.

It was a mantra that Sharon had been repeating to herself for some time now. Soon, the trial would be over. Soon, the letters would stop. Soon, Rusty would be safe. Soon, life would be normal again. Soon, soon, soon.

It was inevitable that soon would turn into now, but it was the waiting that was hard. The worrying. There were moments, of late, when her relief was so strong that she wanted to weep with joy at it.

After taking yet another deep breath, Sharon pushed away from the door. "Rusty, I can do that." She walked over to join him and took the small stack of paper plates out of his hands. "This was your party, I'm not going to let you clean up after it." She smiled as she stepped around him.

"It's a few plates, Sharon." Rusty rolled his eyes in amusement. "It's not going to completely spoil the night." To prove his point, he picked up a pair of plastic cups and followed her into the kitchen.

"You should do something fun, Rusty." Sharon shook her head at him. "It's not too late."

He squinted at her, and his head tilted in the way it did when he was trying to see beyond what she was saying. "Where would I go?" Rusty shrugged and went back out to finish clearing away the trash. "If I didn't know better, I might think you're trying to get rid of me."

She whirled around, the denial ready on her lips. Sharon stopped when she saw the gleam in his eyes and rolled hers. "No," she said at length, drawing the syllable out. "I'm simply recalling that the night Ricky graduated, he was out until almost four in the morning with his friends…" She waved a hand through the air. "Although that's a different story and we won't go entirely there. Emily…" Sharon stopped again and shook her head. "Okay, those might not be the best examples." Her lips pursed as she recalled having gone looking for her daughter the next morning, when at six in the morning, Emily still wasn't home yet. "The point I'm trying to make, Rusty, is that this is a very big night. You shouldn't be cooped up here."

Rusty sighed. He shook his head and walked toward her with the remains of the cake, which he set on the bar between them. "Sharon, when I said that I don't have a lot of friends, I wasn't just trying to put you off. There really isn't anyone that I'd go out with. I mean… It's kind of hard to make friends when you're under constant police protection." He shrugged. "Which is okay. I think I'd much rather be alive than have a lot of friends." He smiled at her, and once again it lit his face. "It was a great night, Sharon. I really, really enjoyed it. I never thought I would ever graduate from high school, least of all have people willing to celebrate that I did. So this was… pretty much, way more than I ever expected."

Sharon felt tears pricking her eyes when he turned away again. She swept a lock of hair behind her ear and turned away quickly, before he could see the sheen of moisture that clouded her vision. "You'll be starting college soon," she said, and if her voice was a little thicker than it had been, she ignored that. "The police detail is a thing of the past, there will be plenty of opportunity to make friends."

"Yeah." Rusty set the cheese tray on the bar, along with another plate of left overs. "I know." He grinned as he moved through the apartment picking up cups and plates. He glanced over and watched Sharon storing away the leftovers. "You know, you don't have to worry about me anymore, Sharon."

"Hm." She affixed a lid on the container of left over finger sandwiches and placed it in the fridge. "Rusty, that's a very nice try, but I am always going to worry about you." She glanced at him through the curtain of her hair. Her eyes sparkled, while a smile tugged at her lips. "Just like I worry about Ricky and Emily. Someday, you might actually get used to it."

"Have they gotten used to it yet?" Rusty shot a smirk at her and walked toward the door when a knock sounded. "If it's a singing clown, Sharon, we're going to have to talk. Not just about timing, but party planning."

She laughed and reached for the cake. "No clowns, I promise. I'm sure someone has probably forgotten something." It hadn't been that long since their guests began leaving.

Rusty pulled the door open and fought the urge to laugh. "Oh, I'm sure that's it," he drawled. He stepped aside and pulled the door wider. "Now I know why you were trying to get rid of me."

Andy arched a brow at the teenager. "If she's trying to get rid of you, it's got nothing to do with me. I think her timing is a little off, though. We'll have to work on that." He walked into the apartment, and upon spying his forgotten phone on the end table beside the sofa, he picked it up. "I didn't realize I didn't have it until I started to call to see if you needed help cleaning up."

"Right." Rusty didn't didn't look at all convinced. Instead, he picked up the remaining plastic cups and carried them into the kitchen. "I'm going to my room now."

"Rusty!" Sharon rolled her eyes at his retreating back. "Don't—" She stopped and shook her head because he already retreated down the hall. Her head dropped back and she fought the urge to groan. "First your partner, and now my son."

Flynn offered a shrug and slipped his hands into his pockets. He flashed a crooked grin at her. "I can't imagine what they would be thinking, or why."

"Hm." She hummed as she slid the last piece of cake into a plastic bowel and covered it before placing it in the fridge. Blue icing coated her thumb, and she lifted it to her lips. "No, I can't imagine what they'd be thinking at all." She slanted an amused look at him and began stacking the trays and dishes from the buffet for washing.

A chuckle rumbled deep in his throat as he walked over to join her. He slipped out of his jacket and dropped it on the back of one of the stools at the bar. "Let me do that," he said, while already rolling the sleeves of his shirt up.

"Andy, despite popular belief, I am capable of washing dishes." Sharon glanced at him again, this time her eyes were sparkling. "I'm not actually going to melt if I get wet."

His own eyes narrowed, and then he shook his head again. "You're never going to let me live that one down are you?" Andy reached for her, he placed his hands at her waist and moved her aside, well out of his way. "For the record, I stand by my artwork."

"Do you?" Her lips pursed. Sharon folded her arms across her chest and leaned her hip against the counter while he began rinsing the trays and dishes in preparation for sliding them into the dishwasher. Her head tilted while she hummed. "I could choose to take a stand, based on that statement. I think, instead, I will choose to be impressed."

A brow arched, and Andy slanted a look at her. He chose now to tread carefully. She wasn't looking at him, but instead had that faraway expression that indicated she was contemplating something. Yes, he was going to tread carefully indeed. "Impressed?" He asked, prompting her as was expected of him.

"Yes." Sharon's gaze moved slowly back to him. Her tongue darted out to sweep her lips, moistening them. "I am impressed that you have chosen to stick to your guns, so to speak. Calling me a wicked witch when you didn't like me is one thing, reiterating it when you're planning to ask me out is an entirely different matter. Hm." She nodded. "Yes, I am impressed." Sharon pushed away from the counter and strode out of the kitchen, the smirk that curved her lips was something that she couldn't suppress.

"Really?" Andy straightened where he stood at the sink and followed her with his eyes. Both brows lifted, while a grin tugged at his mouth. "You sound pretty damned sure of yourself." He withdrew his hands from the sink and dried them. Andy hesitated for only a moment before he started moving toward her.

"Well," she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and began moving chairs back to their rightful locations. "There are only so many ways you can maneuver me into lunch or dinner before you finally just come out with it." She felt him behind her, his presence, and the heat of his body before she ever turned. Sharon found herself trapped between one of the high backed dining chairs and a solid male chest while her eyes tracked slowly upward. She had been in a rather light and playful mood the last several days. Rather than question it, she was choosing to embrace it, and all the other changes in her life at present. Embracing the joy, that was her present mindset. "Don't you think?"

His hands grasped the back of the chair and he finished moving it into place for her. Then he left them resting there, so that she was essentially caught in the circle of his arms, although he was hardly touching her. "There's a flaw in your logic. Surprising, I know," he added with a half grin. "Thing is, you've never let anyone maneuver you into doing anything a day in your life."

"Hm." She hummed and gave him a playful little shrug. "Perhaps."

"Uh huh." Andy shook his head at her. "Okay, what is going on with you. I've seen you happy, but you haven't been this giddy since the time you put me through two months of Anger Management training."

Sharon's lips pursed while she thought back to the specific moment he indicated, almost eight years into their past. "That was rather enjoyable." She chewed on the corner of her lip for a moment. She hadn't discussed the adoption with anyone, outside of Rusty, her lawyer, and Jack. Come to think of it, those were the only people she had discussed the divorce with too, well, outside of her children of course. They knew about the divorce, although she was holding off on breaking the news of the adoption just yet. She folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the chair behind her. Another smile was playing at her lips, she just didn't seem to be able to stop. "I am… adopting Rusty," she said at length. "He said yes. I have to tie up another loose end first," she waved a hand between them, "but that shouldn't be too difficult."

For just a moment he was struck speechless by her announcement. As it faded, a smile spread across his face. "That is some news." His hands moved from the chair to hang loosely at his sides. "Why didn't you say—The divorce," he realized. "That explains why you're finally giving Jack the boot."

Eyes wide, Sharon jolted in front of him. "How did you know about that? Has Rusty—"

"Oh, hell no." He waved a hand between them. "Provenza. He saw the papers on your desk a couple of weeks ago. Of course, he's pinning the whole thing on me, and all of his wild assumptions about us."

"Suddenly everyone seems to be an expert on my non-existent dating life." Sharon rolled her eyes, more amused by it than anything. "Jack had the temerity to question Rusty about it too."

"I see." He stood back a bit, crossed his arms. "We should do something about that," he observed, and gave up the attempt at suppressing his smirk.

"Well I would, but shooting your husband is illegal," she drawled. "Even with a beanbag gun." She tapped a finger against her lips. "Although it occurs to me that we've come full circle on the topic."

"I can see that." Andy pretended to consider it. "Technically, you're still married," he pointed out. "I seem to recall that being an issue."

"Yes," she lilted. "But now I just can't seem to be bothered to care. However," Sharon added, "If it's technicalities that you'd lie to discuss, then technically I've been legally separated for like, twenty years, and it really is just all so very unimportant at this point." Her head tilted, she smiled while gazing at him through her lashes. "I suppose if you still think it's an issue…"

Andy caught her as she tried to slide around him. "I didn't say that. I said it was an issue. Past tense. So, Jack's out, the adoption is on, and I'm in."

"Ah," She pointed a finger at him. "Not quite. There goes your impatience again. I'm beginning to think all those classes I sent you to over the years had very little effect."

He snorted at her. "You're just now realizing that?" Andy shook his head at her. "I see, so that's how it was. Send a guy to class, and then wipe your hands of it. Don't even bother to follow up… why did I even go. I could have spent all that time napping at home where it was more comfortable." He rubbed a finger across his top lip and gave it a moment's thought before continuing. Andy supposed that if he kept her waiting even a moment longer that it would be him that she was throttling, rather than Jack. Watching her squirm was rather amusing. "Sharon, do you want to go out and—"

"Okay," Her eyes glittered, while a bright smile lit her face again. She could make it easy on him, but the reality of their positions demanded that he actually ask.

He chuckled quietly at her. "Tomorrow?"

"Yes." Sharon nodded once.

"That was almost too easy," he leaned back, eyes narrowing. "Now I'm sure that you're up to something." Andy pointed a finger at her. "You are the Darth Witch, and you cannot be trusted."

The laughter, when it came, was almost giddy. "This is what gets you into trouble," Sharon pointed out. Her finger bounced off his chest where she tapped it against the diagonal stripes of his tie, just to punctuate her point. "Your mouth opens and words come out. Usually they just prove that if I'm the Darth Witch, you're certainly the Flying Monkey Clone."

"You've been spending too much time with Provenza," He deadpanned. "We're going to have to fix that."

She laughed again before leaning back. The amused sparkle didn't leave her eyes, although she sobered somewhat. "I think maybe it's more of a case of finally deciding to do something that I want to do." Sharon tilted her head, while really giving it some thought. "I've made a lot of decisions in the past, things I thought I wanted, or that I needed, primarily for the sake of others… or for my career. It has been a long time since I did something just because I wanted to, and for no other reason than that. So why not," she added with a shrug.

Her eyes were alight with happiness, sparkling in a way that he'd never seen before. Her cheeks were flushed with color and she was fair to glowing. It was more than just whatever decision she'd made about the two of them, he knew, it was a combination of all of it. An answering grin curved his lips. "Why not," he repeated. "I can't think of a better reason, and it looks good on you." Andy reached for her hand and held it loosely in his own. "Even you deserve to be happy, Sharon."

"Yes." Her smile softened. "I think you could be right, and no you may not have that in writing." She gave his hand a squeeze, and stepped forward. Sharon tipped her face up and placed a soft kiss to his cheek. "Thank you," she said, quietly, and for far more than just coming back to help with a few dishes. The transition of her transfer had not been easy, not with everything that had gone along with it, when she considered that it was not only a new division that she had inherited. It had been a very eventful couple of years, and that was putting it mildly. Things could have gone incredibly lopsided without him there to help smooth the way, surprising though it had been that it was Flynn of all people to be the first in her corner. It helped her to make up her mind, when it came time to consider whether or not she should take a chance on him, on them. He had taken a chance on her.

His hand moved to her waist, settled there without drawing her closer. His head dipped, just a fraction. "You're welcome," he rumbled quietly. A muscle in his jaw ticked, he thought about kissing her, and then thought better of it. Not yet, he reminded himself. Certainly not with the kid just down the hall. Andy gazed back at her for just a moment longer before he stepped away. "It's getting late" he decided. "I should probably get out of here before Provenza figures out I doubled back and decides to come looking." He rolled his eyes at that, because he could just imagine his partner doing it, if for no other reason than to prove that he was there.

"Hm." She chuckled at that. "That is probably a very good idea. No, you may not have that in writing either." Sharon's eyes sparkled with barely suppressed laughter. She knew, if not all, then most of his bad habits by now. One could make the argument that she was insane for even thinking of starting down the road that lay before them. She was choosing to think of it as forewarned. There was also the fact that she had learned that his good habits far exceeded the bad, in both number and deed.

"Can't even get an inch with you," He grumbled, while retrieving his jacket. His grin belied any true belligerence. Andy draped the jacket over his arm and shook his head as she joined him in walking to the door. "Would it be such a bad thing to acknowledge that I am both right and I have good ideas? Just once…"

"I'm perfectly willing to acknowledge them," Sharon clasped her hands in front of her. "It's putting it in writing that I object to. I know you, Andy Flynn. You would use it against me," she teased. At the door, she opened it for him and leaned against it.

He huffed at her, all feigned exasperation. "How can you say that? Of course I… would do exactly that," Andy admitted with a smirk. "I need to use whatever advantage I can get with you. That is one thing that hasn't changed."

"I guess you'll just have to keep trying then, won't you?" She flashed a teasing half grin. "Do you have your phone this time? It would be a shame for you to have to come all the way back, again."

A single brow arched at her teasing tone. "I have it, no worries. You make it sound like I left it on purpose…"

"Oh no," she pushed away from the door. "I'd never suggest such a thing. Why would you?" Sharon smirked at him. "How could you? I was the one that set it there after I took the picture of you and the boys." Her smile was entirely too gleeful as she turned away from the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Andy." With that, she pushed it closed and strode happily toward the kitchen.

It closed between them and he was left staring at it. Andy shook his head slowly. "Evil, wicked witch," he decided. As he turned away, he reminded himself that he could never forget that she always had something up her sleeve… or that it was just the way he liked it.

~FIN