Hello everyone! This was written for the Season Two Wishlist challenge on Livejournal - for DLcookie. She waned a canon-style story and gave me some characters to choose from, but you'll have to read ahead to see what I came up with. I hope you like it, DLcookie! And I hope you all enjoy it! Please R&R!
Sharon stared blankly at the files in front of her, her mind clearly elsewhere. When she heard a quiet knock on her office door, she looked up and smiled slightly to see Lieutenant Provenza standing in her doorway, the knock obviously just a heads up to his presence, not to seek permission to enter.
He cleared his throat and spoke before she could ask what she could do for him. "Captain….when is Rusty's mother due in?"
She took her glasses off and rubbed the bridge of her nose, sighing dramatically. "Around 4 this afternoon. I'm going to leave early so I can pick Rusty up from school, so I can be with him when they are…" She swallowed. "….reunited."
Provenza nodded and made a non-committal noise. "Are you worried she may not show up again…or that she will and that he will want to be with her instead of you?"
Sharon's eyes widened at the blunt question. Of course, Louis had always been blunt, she should be used to it by now. She shrugged. "I…I'm not sure. I guess I am worried about either outcome."
He is silent for what seemed like forever to Sharon. Then she watched him walk into her office and sit down in one of the chairs that stood in front of her desk. He pulled a toothpick out of his pocket and sat deep in thought before speaking up again. "You want me to tag along?"
She couldn't help but be slightly surprised at the offer, but found herself actually thinking seriously about it. Despite their early rocky relationship in the office, she found that when it came to matters of Rusty, or whenever she seemed to be doubting herself, he always knew exactly what to say and always knew how to make her feel at least slightly better about things.
She shook her head gently, putting her glasses back on. "No, Lieutenant…thank you for the offer but I will be fine."
Louis nods and gets up, knowing that Sharon wouldn't ask him for his support even if she needed it. "Well…you have my number if you need me, or any of us…" He walks over to the door and turns around before speaking again. "Good luck, Captain."
She sighs deeply before managing a small smile for him. "Thank you, Lieutenant." She watched as he walked out of the office and leaned back against her chair, sighing deeply. She couldn't shake the bad feeling she had about meeting Rusty's mother, and her instincts were almost never wrong. They hadn't been about Daniel. She had known from the moment she met him that there was something off about him, and each time she encountered him after that the feeling only got stronger until it was too late. Rusty had been hurt because she hadn't trusted her instincts.
Two hours later, Sharon and Rusty found themselves in Sharon's car, sharing in a comfortable silence. Sharon would glance over at Rusty every now and then, sensing his apprehension. After a few minutes, she reached over and put her hand over his. He looked at her, surprised at the contact. "Don't worry, Rusty. She'll be there. I'm sure of it."
He swallows and only manages a nod. "If she isn't, I don't want to hear anyone even mention her ever again…okay?" His voice sounded stern, but scared at the same time. It broke Sharon's heart. She nods, squeezing his hand and then returns her focus back to the pavement laid out in front of her.
Not ten minutes later, they pulled into the bus station. Rusty couldn't help but feel a sense of deja vu, and not in a good way. Sharon walked over to one of the ticket booths and spoke briefly with the man behind the desk. He watched as she turned back around and walked towards him. "The bus is on time and should be here in a few minutes. Are you okay?"
Rusty nods, putting his hands in the deep pockets of his jeans. "I'm fine. Just want to get this over with I guess."
Sharon uncharacteristically put her arm around his shoulders and led him to one of the vacant benches the station had for people to wait on. They sat down and Sharon turned her body a bit to face him. "Rusty…no matter what happens today, the relationship that you and I have will never change, okay? I promise."
Rusty nods, looking down and playing with his fingers. "I know, Sharon. You've never lied to me and I know that you and I are always going to be…well…whatever we are no matter what." He looks over at her. "It means a lot to me, Sharon."
She smiles warmly at him, but her smile fades when she hears and sees a bus approaching. They both stand up and Sharon watches as Rusty moves slowly towards the bus as it comes to a complete stop, passengers beginning to file out slowly. Sharon didn't know what Rusty's mother looked like, so she watched his face for any reaction as every woman came down the stairs of the bus. Her heart was beginning to sink, she didn't want Rusty to feel abandoned by this woman…again. But then she saw Rusty seem to come to life, and he ran forward and embraced a woman tightly.
Sharon backed away, her heart breaking and soaring all at once as she observed the emotional reunion. They were hugging each other tightly, the woman was sobbing into Rusty's shoulder and he was telling her that everything was going to be all right. Was this how Rusty felt he needed to be around his mother? Reassuring her, instead of the other way around? Sharon felt the need to break them apart, to be there for Rusty, because it was clear this woman had no idea how to take care of him properly.
She saw them start to break away from their embrace, and then Rusty went to grab her bag. She took this as her opportunity to introduce herself to the woman who had given birth to the boy that had worked his way into her heart. She held her hand out for the woman, also named Sharon, who took it reluctantly. "It's nice to finally meet you, Miss Beck."
Sharon Beck rolled her eyes. "Likewise."
Sharon narrowed her eyes and was about to say more when they were interrupted by Rusty coming back with his mother's two bags. She smiles at him and places her hand at the small of his back, needing him to know that she was there, but mostly needing to still feel needed by him, even though his "real" mother was here. She rolls her eyes at herself, willing that feeling to go away.
They made their way into Sharon's car, riding in silence. Only this time, the silence was deafening and awkward. She could sense Sharon Beck's eyes on her, and knew the woman couldn't stand her. Well…if Sharon was honest with herself she could say she didn't like Sharon Beck, either. Rusty deserved better. But she had promised herself that she would make this evening go on without a hitch…for Rusty.
When they arrived at the restaurant, a moderately-priced place that had always been one of Sharon's favorites, she couldn't help but notice the way Rusty's mother gawked at the place, or the way she rolled her eyes as Sharon called the valet attendant by his first name, because she had dined there so often.
When they all walked into the restaurant, it was clear that Sharon Beck planned on being anything but civiil when she saw how everyone there seemed to know not only the captain, but her son as well. When they finally took their seats at what Sharon could hear the server call their "usual table", it was the last straw.
"Must be nice, Rusty. Livin' it up here with this stuck up bitch. But let me tell you…it won't do you any good to forget where you came from." Her voice was hushed as she leaned close to him, but Raydor heard every word.
Sharon cleared her throat. "You don't know me at all, Miss Beck. And if you want to find out more about me, then you ask me." She looked at Rusty, who was practically squirming in his seat now. "Let's just be civil to each other and enjoy a nice dinner. I don't want to make Rusty feel uncomfortable."
Miss Beck rolled her eyes. "You are not in the position to tell me how to speak in front of MY son!"
Sharon leaned in, her voice dangerously low. "He may be your son by blood, but I am his legal guardian and I will do what I have to to protect him. You may have given birth to him, but I have given him stability and a comfortable bed to sleep in. I can't stop you from seeing him, you are his mother after all, but you will not speak to him or me that way. Do you understand?"
Miss Beck just nodded, suddenly a little too interested in the drink menu. She wasn't happy with being spoken to like a twelve year old, but really wasn't interested in making a scene. Besides, if she did it before her food came, she would be wasting an opportunity for a good meal, fully paid for. Who would pass that up?
When their meals were finished and they were waiting for the bill, Sharon figured now would be a good time to let this woman know how well Rusty was doing. "You know, Miss Beck, Rusty is on the honor roll at school and is doing pretty well in the chess tournaments he goes to with the chess team from school." She smiles proudly at him, and reaches over to put her hand over Rusty's.
Rusty's mother's eyes blazed in fury at the gesture, especially because Rusty didn't even pull his hand away. She sat back in her chair and crossed her arms. "Rusty's always been smart. It has nothing to do with your influence if that is what you are trying to tell me."
Sharon's eyes widened. "No, that's not what I'm trying to tell you. I just thought I would let you know how well he is doing, that you needn't worry about him."
Rusty finally spoke up. "Sharon, it's okay. Whenever I've gone to school I always get on the honor roll. I guess Mom isn't phased by it."
Sharon looked at him, a grim expression on his face. "She should be proud of you, Rusty. I'm proud of you. You know that, don't you?"
Rusty's mother suddenly kept up and pulled Rusty up with her. Sharon stood as well, ready to protect her charge at all costs. "You listen to me, you stuck up bitch! Rusty is MY son and I don't appreciate you obviously turning him against me!"
Rusty yanked his arm away from her. "Mom, Sharon would never do that! She just paid for our dinner! Why are you doing this?"
Sharon Beck shook her head in disbelief. "So she HAS turned you against me! I KNEW it!"
Rusty looked at Sharon pleadingly, and Sharon grabbed a $100 bill, put it on the table and led them all out of the restaurant. Once outside, Rusty ripped into his mother, saying the words he had wanted to say to her since she got off the bus but didn't know how. "Mom, listen to me! Sharon's been wonderful to me! She hasn't turned me against you! YOU did that all on your own when you ABANDONED ME! Over and over again, Mom!" His face was red with exertion. "Why did you leave me? What did I do?"
Sharon's heart was breaking for Rusty. She reached out to put her hand on his neck, rubbing soothing circles to calm him down. He was grateful for the gesture, but he had more to say. "Mom, look. I love you and I will always love you. But I live with Sharon now. I made friends at school and I have my own room there. I want to stay with her. She told me I could, and I want to. I'm sorry but…I don't want to come back with you or stay with you or whatever you thought was going to happen to happen. I deserved….deserve…better."
By this time, Sharon Beck was sobbing, not wanting to hear the words her son was speaking to her. She knew them to be true and it was hard for her to admit to herself that he had failed as a mother. That this woman standing beside her son and rubbing his back was better for him than she was. She didn't want to stay there anymore. She looked up at Rusty, wiping her face and pulling out a cigarette, playing with it in her fingers but not lighting it. "Fine, Rusty. Good luck."
She looked over at Sharon. "You can have him. Just don't expect too much."
And with that, Rusty's mother turned around and walked away from her son. Again. Sharon only hoped for Rusty's sake that it was for the last time.
When they got back home, Sharon couldn't help but watch Rusty like a hawk. She was worried about him. Worried that he would keep his feelings inside, that he would try to run away again. To her surprise, he didn't hide what he was feeling from her, because he looked positively solemn. She watched as he sulked all the way to his room, closing the door behind him, then waited a few minutes before heading to his room and quietly knocking. "Rusty? Can I come in?"
She hears his muffled voice behind the door. "Yeah."
She opens the door and lets herself in, seeing him sitting up in his bed, earbuds in his ears. His face is red and blotchy. He had been crying. She moves towards him and sits on the bed, reaching over to place her hand on his arm. "You okay?"
Rusty just shrugged. He didn't want to cry, but his mother didn't want him and…it hurt.
"You want to talk about it?"
Rusty sighed and took off his earbuds. "What do you think I did wrong? Do you think I was just too much for her to handle?"
Sharon squeezed his hand. "Of course not. You didn't ask to be born, and when you were it was her job to do everything in her power to make the choices that were best for YOU, not for her. SHE is missing out on an amazing young man. It's her loss, Rusty. Not yours."
Rusty sniffles. "It still…hurts…"
Sharon nods, her own eyes filling with tears at the sight of him so upset. She reaches over to put her arms around his neck. "It's okay, Rusty…."
Rusty wraps his arms around her waist for a moment, squeezing her tight. "Thank you, Sharon….for everything."
She nods, then quickly backs away from him, looking him in the eye. "Everything is going to be all right, Rusty. I promise."
He nods, wiping his face with the backs of his hands. "I think i'm…gonna try to get some sleep, now."
"Okay." She stands up and plants a gentle kiss on the top of his head. "I'll be in my bedroom if you need me. Have a good night."
He smiles a little as she starts to walk towards the door. "You, too, Sharon."
It was around forty-five minutes later when Sharon found herself unable to sleep, despite the two glasses of white wine she had just ingested. The day's events had been emotional, to say the least. She knew that Rusty would be all right, but how horrible it must feel to have a mother who didn't want to fight for you.
She tossed and turned for about 15 minutes, before sitting up in frustration and she reached over to grab her cell phone. Finding the number of the person she wanted to talk to, she pressed it and she placed the phone to her ear.
He picked up after three rings, his voice grumpy and groggy sounding as usual. "Provenza."
Sharon took a deep breath. "Lieutenant…it's Captain Raydor."
"Captain? Everything all right? Did we catch a case?"
"No. No case. I guess I just ummm…. need a friend to talk to right now. But if you were sleeping I apologize. This can wait…" She bit her lip and looked over at the clock on her nightstand. It was almost 1 AM. She shouldn't have called so late. Dammit.
Louie Provenza yawns but answers her in a much clearer tone. "No, Captain…it's all right. What's up?"
She breathed a sigh of relief and started to tell him the story of she and Rusty's emotionally trying day. As she lay there in bed, speaking in hushed tones and pouring her heart out, she realized that she had found a true friend in the man who had initially made her feel unwelcome in her new role as head of Major Crimes.
Yes, there was definitely more to Lieutenant Louis Provenza then anyone realized, and Sharon felt happy and privileged to know that she was one of the lucky ones able to see this side of him. She hoped that would never change.