A/N: I've been on a MC rewatch and rewatch all summer and after watching "Blackout", again, I had to work out some of the missing thoughts and feels of our fearless Captain. All mistakes are my own and I don't get anything but satisfaction in playing with these characters.
Part 1
When Mike and Provenza ushered her into the elevator her mind was whirling. Buzz's voice had alerted to an emergency, and she was so wrapped up in the current case that it didn't even dawn on her at the moment that the emergency was Andy. When she rounded the corner, her wallet, phone, and jacket were thrusted into hers arms. She hadn't even been able to process what they had told her.
Time seemed to slow down when the doors closed on her promise to Provenza to let him know about Andy. She leaned against the silver railing inside the elevator trying to alleviate the anxiety that was building up within her.
Her relationship with Andy had been nothing short of a revelation. She wasn't sure what was to come of their romantic first date at Serve, but it had been easy and fun and she discovered that it was easier than she would have thought to transition to a romantic relationship with him. Andy was kind, patient, and quite irresistible once she opened her heart to him. He cared about her with a ferocity that she was unaccustomed to, and they were compatible in all the ways that it mattered.
The elevator descended steadily all the while she ran through scenario after scenario of what she would find once she reached the hospital. She was aware she could just call Rusty to find out Andy's condition, but she didn't trust herself yet to hold her emotions together, so she decided to wait. The silver doors opened slowly and she exited striding purposely toward the Ford Explorer waiting for her.
Although Provenza had secured an officer to drive her to the hospital, she dismissed him and took her own Charger. Despite the knot that was growing in her stomach, she felt the drive, and the concentration require, would help her stay in control. And she needed to stay in control.
Over the years she had been separated from Jack, she had kept the relationships she had had very private. Not only was she still technically married, she didn't want to give officers, who already saw her as the enemy, any excuse to question her integrity. Her marriage to Jack, and the cheating and lying that occurred, was very public. He was a prominent defense attorney, and there wasn't one detective at the Parker center that didn't know him or at least his reputation. It was that reputation that caused the most embarrassment, and she swore that she wouldn't put herself in a position where her work life and personal life could intertwine. Then she offered to go with Andy to his daughter's wedding.
It would be cliché to say that the rest was history, but that's what it was. After years of antagonism between them, she simply offered to go to Nicole's wedding with Andy as a buffer. She could see that he was torn between his desire to see his daughter get married and his distaste for her stepfather. If truth be told, she simply wanted to extend an olive branch to the lieutenant who clearly disliked her and her transfer to Major Crimes.
What had begun as a way to build bridges with one of her most vocal objectors had ended up forming the foundation of a genuine friendship. She found Andy to be amiable and funny. He could make her laugh with his take on the absurdity of the world and his observations were often on point. It was nice to have both an ally at work and someone who knew her past and could understand it. Andy and Jack, despite their vast differences, were still similar enough that Andy could empathize with all of Sharon's history with her alcoholic husband. He gave her a perspective that she had never had and it helped to come to terms with finally letting go of the marriage. They built their friendship through shared dinners and outings and didn't think it untoward or strange until Rusty brought it to their attention that what they were doing, in fact, was dating.
Now, although they had only been officially dating for a few months, Andy had become essential to her own well being. If truth be told, she was surprised how quickly her own heart had welcomed the affection and care that Andy had offered. When she let herself think about it for too long it scared her- no- terrified her. Not only was she putting herself out there in terms of a relationship, it was with someone in her own division. It had the potential of being life altering whether the relationship was successful or not.
A horn blared somewhere in the garage of the PAB and startled her. She sat behind the wheel with her hand poised on key in the ignition. Clearly she needed to give herself a moment to process. She took a few deep breaths and turned on the car.