A/N: This story is probably bordering on AU, because I'm quite convinced this will never happen on the show. But I had this idea and I thought, it's something different so why not?
I'd like to thank disturbingclarity and thebwowfishworld who came up with constructive criticism and helpful ideas. I truly appreciate your help.
She paced around the room so many times that his head was spinning. He considered commanding her to just stop and stand in one place and not move, but he couldn't help but identify with her nervousness. So he watched her silently, waiting for her to grasp what was happening.
He wished he could do something to help her - a decorated officer who dedicated so many years of her life to the LAPD and performed her job so well and with so much humility and grace that would put Queen Elizabeth to shame. His hands were tied and shattering her almost realized hopes in her face was one of the most painful things he's was ever going to do in his life.
"Sharon," he used her given name rather than her rank, in order to show her that despite this issue, he was on her side. She stopped and looked at him, her expression haunted. "Please understand that I have no choice but freezing your promotion again."
"What?" the hurt and shock in her voice made his ears sting.
"I know we're a week away from the promotion ceremony, but I can't promote you," he said.
"My privacy was invaded in the most callous manner and I am getting punished for it?" her cheeks became red.
"Sharon, can I be frank with you?" he asked. She looked at him with confusion and gave him a quick nod. "If I were in your place, I'd resign." He could see her jaw dropping and the sudden fire that sparked in her eyes. He could tell she wouldn't go without a fight.
"Are you asking me to quit my job?" she asked, the anger in her voice scorching his ears.
"Major Crimes had enough scandals and this video – if it gets out, it will destroy the department and it will give you the kind of reputation that both of us know that you've been trying to avoid for your entire career; is this what you want?"
"And what if I don't? What if I agree to remain in the department as a captain and not make a fuss out of it?" Sharon wondered.
"We can do that, but you have to remember that I didn't film this video and I don't have a clue what other dirt the person who sent this to me has on you. What we also don't know is who else it was sent to."
"I love my job and I don't want to lose it, Sir," she said. "Please, let's keep this video between us."
"If you want to remain at your job as a captain there are two things you must understand, Sharon," his blue eyes stared into her green ones. "As long as I am chief of police, you will not be promoted and…" he paused and sighed.
"And…" she prompted him.
"And your relationship with Lieutenant Flynn must end immediately. You may not be seen with him in any event or function that is not work related. In addition, you may not develop any romantic or other relationship with your squad or any other employee of the LAPD. Is this clear?" He could see by the stunned expression on her face that she did not expect this.
"You're treating me like I'm a criminal. I wonder if Brenda would get the same treatment if it was her instead of me," the sarcastic tone was not lost on Pope. "I haven't done anything wrong. I reported this relationship to Chief Taylor as soon as it began and I kept it out of the workplace as I should have done."
"By the time stamp on this video, it was filmed before you reported to Chief Taylor about your involvement with Lieutenant Flynn," Pope exclaimed.
"I reported the relationship to Chief Taylor as soon as both Andy and I were sure of our relationship, which happened to be one week after this was filmed. Chief, with all due respect, this is utterly ridiculous," she argued.
"Sharon, my hands are tied here. If you want to keep you job, these are the terms you'd have to agree to. Do you understand?" He watched the furious expression of her face being traded by a nervous one. She bit her bottom lip in order to hide that it was trembling and he could tell she was about to burst into tears. He's known her for many years and it always appeared like she was made of stone, but even thick stone walls could crumble down under extreme pressure.
"You are asking me to choose between my job and the man I love. How do you expect me to do that?" she knew a request of this nature was against LAPD regulations, but she also knew that with the history of the Major Crimes division and the mess created by Brenda, Chief Pope had a good reason to be worried about the way it would reflect on how the mayor and the public view him in his role.
"I can't make the choice for you, Sharon. You have to decide what you care about more," he said.
"You can't expect me to make such a big decision now; I need time," her voice was stressed and breathy.
"You've got no time," he replied sternly. She resumed her nervous pacing around the room and he could almost see the wheels spinning in her head. His eyes followed her, waiting for her to make a decision. At last, she stopped and looked at him. She opened her mouth to say something and then closed it and looked down at her hands for a moment.
"You will have my resignation on your desk in an hour, Sir." Her voice was confident but her expression was scornful. She turned around and walked out of his office, leaving him stunned.
The staccato of her heels announced her presence as she walked into the murder room and she could see her colleagues turning to look at her with questioning gazes. It was two hours earlier that Chief Pope himself arrived and called her into an emergency meeting and no one has heard of either of them since.
Now that she was back, it was clear to everyone that something was up, but none of them knew what it was. She walked into the middle of the room and looked at them, swallowing the lump in her throat before requesting their attention.
"I have an announcement to make, and I know it might come as a shock to some of you," she started. "I believe it's no secret that I am romantically involved with Lieutenant Flynn," she caught his eyes as she said his name and he offered her his boyish smile. "But unfortunately, I was just informed by Chief Pope that this relationship stands in conflict with the way our department is represented…" Provenza waved his hands in the air and she paused.
"What does it mean?" he asked.
"I'm sorry?" she replied, a confused expression spreading on her face.
"A conflict between your relationship with Flynn and the way we are represented?"
"It means that someone invaded our privacy as a couple and filmed it without our knowledge, Lieutenant," Rosiness spread all across Sharon's cheeks. Even though Andy was standing across the room from her, she noticed the way he clenched his jaw. "And for this reason I will be retiring from the LAPD without a promotion."
"What?" Andy looked devastated and maybe it was her imagination playing tricks on her, but she was almost sure she heard his heart picking up its pace.
"This is bullshit!" Provenza got up and pointed at her. "You can't retire because of a video! It's not like this is news to anyone here that the two of you are a couple."
"I thought you'd be happier. You may get my job, my office and maybe you'll even be promoted to Captain," Sharon winked at him. Provenza returned his seat heavily and shook his head. "Truth be told, the Chief offered me a compromise, but I rejected it," Sharon admitted.
"What did he want?" Amy asked.
"That I break up with Flynn and refrain from forming or maintaining any friendship or other relationship within the LAPD."
"Son of a bi…" Provenza started, but Sharon waved her hand to stop him.
"What if we all threaten to quit?" Andy walked over to her and took her hand.
"I won't allow any of you to give up your careers for me. The only reason I'm telling you this now is that I want you to be the first people to know this before the word gets around."
"So what now?" Provenza asked.
"God knows I have no plan." Sharon shrugged and smiled at him. She turned and was about to go to her office.
"Captain," she heard Tao's voice behind her. She turned to face her team again. "You're very brave." Sharon felt as if her heart was melting inside her chest.
"Thank you," she said and walked into her office. She wasn't even able to close the door before Andy followed her into the room.
"Sharon, you can't quit your job just because of a stupid video," he said, his voice a low rumble.
"Would you rather I break up with you?" Sharon asked.
"He can't make you do this and you know that. It's against regulations," Andy insisted and Sharon couldn't help but feel proud that he actually knew the regulation.
"He's the Chief of Police, Andy. He can decide to fire me if he wants. He doesn't want another scandal in this department and as far as he's concerned, our relationship and that video are just that," she explained.
"Then I'm going to retire as well," Andy insisted.
"And what is your retirement going to give us, beside shared unemployment?" Sharon looked at him with a half amused expression. Sometimes he could be idealistic to the point of idiocy. He shrugged to acknowledge she was right.
"Is the video really that bad that Pope is forcing you to quit?" he asked and Sharon could see the concern in his eyes.
"It's quite explicit, but..." she paused and smiled softly.
"But what?"
"It also shows how much we love each other, and this love is why I chose to retire. We can love each other more freely now. We will have less limits," she said.
"I love how you always look on the bright side," Andy cupped her cheek.
"How can I not, when you are my bright side?" Wrapping her arms around his neck, she drew him down to her lips and even if they aired it in the 4 o'clock news, she didn't give a damn.
THE END
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