SERENDIPITY
Summary: AU. Some moments in life are worth preserving, and some are even worth repeating. Somehow, in a world of small probability, Sergeant Flynn strikes up acquaintance with an unlikely counterpart that ripples through their timeline till the present. Just a little background story that turned into a longer story. Flynn/Raydor, MC + pre-closer era, a bit of this and a bit of that ;)
AN: I haven't written anything for ages so this was me trying (read: forcing) myself to get into putting more than two words together. It was somewhat of a success ;)
…
Every night was cold as ice,
Until you held me close through the night,
Can we go back, to you, to me?
Someday
…
/1a/
"We need to talk," Captain Sharon Raydor greeted Andy without preamble the moment he opened his front door. Her somewhat rigid stance in the black signature trench coat put him on instant guard. She had perfected the image of looking carved out of stone, her painted lips pursed and green eyes not giving any indication as to her intentions or feelings.
"Huh," he grunted in greeting, eyeing her with a suspicious feeling. It confounded him that she, of all people, would be incessantly ringing his door bell on a Friday afternoon and demand that they needed to talk.
Her eyes narrowed as he continued to simply stand in the doorway, not inviting her in.
"Talk about what exactly?" Andy asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest, "We don't have anything to talk about – as far as I know…"
Her lips pressed harder together and if he wasn't mistaken, there was a glint of frustration in her eyes. It quickly evaporated as she tilted her head and then her lips parted into an annoyed smile.
"Are you going to interrogate me on your doorstep?" her eyebrow arched and her smile turned more wry.
"Yes, why not?" he countered, "We're not exactly friends."
Exasperation became more obvious in her features, she shook her head, obviously annoyed with him.
"Lieutenant," she sighed, her expression softening considerably. "Andy, can we please go inside?"
"Fine," he relented, his bearing in contrast was not soft. He stepped back and opened the door wider to let her in, feeling sure he was going to regret it.
"Thank you," she retorted back sharply, the tone matching his in hardness.
She swept past him in a huff, her composure once again stone cold. He gave the door a little shove and it closed with a small ominous click while he watched as she took off her trench coat. She had a neat work-attire underneath it. She hung the coat up on the rack, neatly sweeping one of the sleeves, straightening it out with her hand.
Andy stuffed his hands down into his pockets and watched her silently, his mind traveling down several unpleasant paths as to the reason for her visit. Last time she sought him out, she had been investigating him on a claim of use of excessive force. He racked his mind for any such possible recent wrongdoings.
Andy gritted his teeth and stared hard at her back, lost in thoughts, while she took off her black high heels and held onto the wall for balance.
"Are you investigating me again? A new bullshit claim from a butt-hurt creep?" he asked in a venomous tone.
"What?" she turned around with a confused expression, then realization dawned on her and he watched as her eyes softened a bit, "No, I am not investigating you."
Andy blew out exasperated air, the anger he had begun to feel roil inside him lessened with each exhalation; as long as she wasn't investigating him for some stupid charge, he had no reason to get angry.
Her eyebrow lifted in a neat arch and her tone was amused when she commented, "Do you feel like I should be investigating you, Lieutenant Flynn?" she paused to deliberately look smug, "Hmm? Anything you want to get off your mind?"
"Ah, knock it off – it was the only reason I could come up with, okay? You're not in the habit of seeking me out for a sweet small talk."
"I know," she replied, her voice noticeably softer, "and normally, I wouldn't 'seek you out' as you put it, but circumstances require…" she hummed, "that we have some sort of talk."
"You're not making any sense, Captain," his voice sounding as confused as he felt.
She sighed and then glanced down the hallway with a distant look in her eyes, "Can we go sit down? Perhaps in your living room? Or are you always so impolite to your guests that you talk in this hallway, looming over them?"
"Geez," Andy sighed but cracked a little amused smile nonetheless. "You want tea too? Or coffee perhaps? I could make you a cake as well…"
"There's no need for sarcasm, lieutenant," she said in a pleasant velvety tone, and then with a sideways glance, humor filling the depths of her eyes, "Coffee would be nice."
Andy led her into his living room and then left her there while he went to his kitchen. He appreciated being able to gather his thoughts alone and brewing some coffee was a good excuse.
When he came back to the living room, Raydor was sitting on the couch. Her head was turned and for a short moment he witnessed her unfiltered. Her hands lay absently in her lap and there was definitely uncertainty in her eyes. It quickly disappeared when she looked up and caught him looking, and was replaced by the same confident look that she always held when working. He placed the tray with two coffee cups he was carrying on the table next to the couch.
She took one of the cups with a small grateful smile, the lines around her eyes crinkled most becomingly. They were not exactly young anymore, and yet she still looked as beautiful as the first day he had met her. Not a fact he would clue her in on, though.
Andy sat down across from her in a recliner, sipping his coffee while he waited for her to speak.
She stayed silent, sipping coffee and looking around the living room avoiding his stare.
"So?" Andy asked after five minutes had passed, the awkwardness beginning to feel like a heavy blanket pressing down on him, and the Captain did not appear very forthcoming.
"Hmm?" she hummed, obviously stalling.
"You wanted to talk," he prodded, a tinge of pique in his tone.
Her eyes centered on him, her chest rising as she took a deliberate breath as if to steady herself, not that he could tell she was nervous from her expression.
"I need you to keep what I am about to tell you, completely to yourself," she said, a genuine little slip of uncertainty in her voice, "It's a confidential matter, and, honestly, I shouldn't even be telling you at this time, but I feel it is necessary."
"Of course," he nodded, curiosity making its presence known as he perused her expression, looking for clues, "I can keep a secret or two, as long as you're not here to ask me to help you bury a body…" The joke did its job, a small smile creeping out from under her serious façade.
"I can assure you, lieutenant, I am not in need of a partner in crime."
Andy shrugged, "oh well, then what sort of secret do you feel you have to talk to me about?" He smiled, feeling devious. "What sorta skeletons does Captain Raydor have in her closet? Huh?"
She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her amusement, "my closet is skeleton free."
"Okay, then enlighten me. What's on your mind?"
She took another deep breath and then started to explain, "some things are about to change and I thought it would be necessary to reflect upon what that means – for you and me."
Andy's instantly smile fell off, "What changes?"
There was a strange heavy feeling forming in his abdomen as he took the words in. He realized that he knew what she was about to say before she said it.
"They are offering me a transfer, a promotion if you will," she said, the words were clear even if her tone had lowered somewhat. He could detect a myriad of feelings blending together in her eyes, apprehension and pride foremost.
She did not have to elaborate; there was only one feasible transfer within the LAPD that would land her on his doorstep, wanting to talk. It had been on the horizon since the chief had resigned, they wouldn't leave Provenza in charge indefinitely.
"You're taking over Major Crimes," Andy pointed out, watching her eyes as he clenched his jaw.
She gave a small nod; her eyes holding his, they were both trying gauge the other's reaction. It felt like an absurd situation. Like the world was throwing everything off course. He continued to be silent and simply stared at her while apprehension began to dominate in her gaze. He noticed the nervous little tilt of her head, her mouth parting but then closing again.
"I guess congratulations are in order then, huh?" Andy said to break the silence.
Her lip quivered a bit and he could tell she knew he was not being sincere, her eyes hardening.
"I don't particularly want to disclose the nature of our past acquaintance to my superiors – especially seeing I do not want to let Taylor nor Pope in on what happened," she said, the words enunciated as if she was speaking to a child.
"It's in the past," Andy agreed, "so don't disclose anything."
"That's all very easy for you to say."
"How so?"
"It's my career and reputation on the line if it gets out."
"You won't see any talk from me, heck I don't particularly want Taylor or Pope to know either… It's no one's business but our own."
"I know. But so far, it's been manageable because we've been in different divisions. We are going to be in the same command chain, Andy, I will be your captain. That's a whole different world," she pointed out.
Andy shrugged, "Makes little difference to me. This last year you've practically been living in our murder room, snooping around and everything."
She rolled her eyes and then bit out sarcastically, "And that went fantastically. You hardly ever yelled at me, am I right?"
"I've been nice," Andy said, disagreeing.
Her eyebrow arched high, disbelief written across her face, "You've been an ass to me!"
Andy couldn't help but smile as he shook his head, but then he soured when he thought about things to come. Every scenario he played out in his head, ended just short of disastrous.
"So, what – you expect me to transfer or something?"
She rolled her eyes, disregarding his hardened tone completely, "of course not, I want to make it work."
"Well, I can be cordial," Andy said as he nodded, thinking to himself that it didn't sound very believable.
She did not seem to believe the words.
"To a certain point," he added, even when he knew this would only infuriate her.
She looked away and he watched her features harden. When she looked back at him again, there was defiance in her eyes, dark and full of fire.
"I was hoping we could start over," she said, nothing in her voice betrayed how her eyes were blazing with anger, and he knew that look too well. She was daring him to antagonize her in some way, and if he fell into that trap again, then she would strike out in some venomous way.
"Start over?" he repeated, his voice shrill. He flushed a bit in embarrassment that he lost his composure and cleared his throat, "How?"
She took a sip of her coffee and then gave him a small, somewhat weak smile, "You'll be my subordinate. Treat me like you would any superior officer."
Andy laughed dismissively, "I don't usually sleep with my superiors."
Her cheeks blushed a nice shade of red and for a short moment again, he was reminded of her in a different way; the reddish sheen highlighted with sweat. She avoided his eyes, her line of sight now on her coffee cup again.
When she looked up again, there was a small upcurve to her smile, "Good thing we're not sleeping together then, hmm."
"Anymore," he clarified.
She rolled her eyes.
After a beat of silence, she pursed her lips and he knew she meant business.
"So?" she enquired of him.
"So?" he repeated back, this time he was the one stalling. He was trying to imagine working with her on a daily basis; maybe not every scenario would end in disaster, maybe in some weird fashion they could make it work.
Her smile was wan, close to a little sad.
Andy couldn't imagine it was every day she got offered the opportunity to get out of internal affairs, especially not to such a lucrative position as captaining Major Crimes.
"I think we will be fine," he assured her promptly, not really giving it too much thought, "I'll behave and we can start over, as lieutenant and captain."
Her smile blossomed and he was taken into the past, remembering that smile and how it had enticed him back then.
Before getting too lost in remembering the past, Andy joked, "It's not me you have to worry about, though."
"Oh?" she looked genuinely confused.
"Nope, it's everyone else, well, particularly Provenza… he will throw a fit or two I'm sure, and Sanchez will be less than thrilled."
"Ah well," she gave him a challenging smile, "I thrive in antagonistic environments."
He laughed, feeling the tension between them evaporate, "Don't you ever."
Her smile was contagious, even if the whole nature of change was beginning to dawn on him.
They sipped from their respective coffee cups, a creeping feeling of being in too deep waters began to form under Andy's skin as the silence prevailed for a while. However, her smile lingered, and if she could see the positive outcome from this, well at least he could try.
...
