Disclaimer: Definitely not my sandbox, but I do love to play with them.

Thanks: Very special thanks to Kadi219 and lontanissima for your suggestions and encouragement. This story probably wouldn't have ended on the first page without you.

Notes: I know there are and will be better and different takes on the amazing episode "Acting Out." This is my humble contribution. Now that this is published, I get to go and read all the rest.

Rusty was halfway out the door before Andy had even put the car in park in a visitor space below the condo. "I'm gonna head upstairs, 'kay... " he declared, his words practically running together in his rush to get away from the couple occupying the front seat. To say the evening had been unusual would be an understatement. Watching Sharon and Lt. Flynn together had been highly entertaining. She was clearly flustered and the lieutenant seemed on edge, waiting, watching. He was treating Sharon like some sort of time bomb about to go off. He constantly seemed on the verge of touching her only to stop himself at the last minute.

Ever since Rusty had called her out on the whole dating thing, Sharon had been alternating between distracted silences and nervous chatter. Lt. Flynn was keeping pretty quiet. He mostly just answered direct questions and tried not to smirk when Sharon started one of her off the wall tangents: like how pretty the Christmas decorations were at the Music Center, or the fact that seats in the theatre were the exact color of her Great Aunt Dot's living room drapes, or as he and Nicole had decided was the best 'Sharonism' of the night, that the carolers by the fountain reminded her of being in the choir in High School which had led to a story about her best friend Susan, which then launched into something about Susan's Mom crocheting a baby blanket for Ricky. He'd stopped paying attention to what she was actually saying by that point and was focusing on doing everything he could think of to keep from laughing. Ultimately, he'd lost the battle when she got to a part about the yarn and a cat. It had earned him a very stern glare from Sharon, but he was pretty immune to those by now.

By the time he pushed the elevator call button, he was already hitting Emily's name on his phone's favorites list.

"So she's still freaking out?" his new sister demanded as soon as the call connected.

"Uh…yeah," he deadpanned because seriously, he'd been texting her all evening. He stepped into the elevator and as the doors closed, he could see Andy walking around the car to open Sharon's door.

Sharon took a deep breath then turned and eased her legs out of the car. Andy offered his hand to help her, but she was so focused on her own thoughts she didn't notice. She rose, her purse and program held close to her chest almost like a shield. Their eyes met and they both seemed to freeze for a moment, the open car door between them.

"Listen, Sharon…"

"Andy…"

They spoke at once, both trying to ease the tension and fill the uncomfortable silence. She nodded and gestured for him to go first.

"I feel like I should say I'm sorry, but the truth is I'm kinda not." He gave her a half shrug and when he saw no hint of a smile, he continued, "Well...that is... I mean…I am sorry that I wasn't completely honest with Nicole and that you got blindsided and that this evening was uncomfortable, but I'm not sorry that the kid sorta put it out there. It… it doesn't have to be a thing." He paused, but she was still just looking at him her expression unreadable. "We like to spend time together…right?"

She hummed and tried to smile, but it came off a bit tense.

"I enjoy your company. I hope you enjoy mine." When her smile grew a fraction, he kept talking. "It's like he said, we do go to dinner…" he his head tilted to the side as he flashed her a crooked grin before adding her qualifier, "…sometimes. We go to the movies… and all the rest. I want to keep doing those things with you."

Sharon's smile widened, finally reaching her eyes. "I do, too."

He nodded. "Good… good..." This was better. It was on the right track.

She stepped to the side so Andy could close the car door. In unison, they turned toward the elevator and started walking. When his hand landed in its usual spot at the small of her back she swayed a little closer to his side.

Rusty still had his phone pressed to his ear as he unlocked the door and entered the condo. "The entire car ride she was back to being quiet and overanalyzing. You really need to call her."

"And out you for texting me about her all night?" Emily teased.

He pushed the door closed and tossed his keys into the dish on the entry table then he headed straight for his bedroom. "Would you? Please? Because really, that's what I need." He sighed in frustration, "She told you we were going out tonight with Lt. Flynn and his family. Just ask her how it was or something."

"Hmmm…" her hum sounded exactly like Sharon's.

He rolled his eyes in response. "Please," he whined sounding almost like he was in pain.

Emily began to giggle on the other end of the line.

Rusty slumped down onto the edge his bead. "You're so calling her."

"Oh hell yeah," she confirmed. "Just let me know when he leaves."

He threw himself backwards onto the bed staring up at the ceiling. "I am not leaving this room until tomorrow morning. Maybe tomorrow afternoon."

"You don't have to hide," she explained, "I doubt he'll be spending the night… yet."

He cringed, his free hand coming up to cover his eyes. "Oh gross! You totally did not have to go there."

Emily laughed, little brothers were so easy. "Well, come on, Mom deserves a little action."

"Stop," he groaned. "Just… just… stop. I'm hanging up now."

"Text me when it's safe to call," she hurried to get all the words out before he could end the call.

Rusty dropped the phone on the bed and rubbed his face with both hands. Emily was right, there was going to be sex eventually. Maybe he shouldn't have told Sharon she was dating. What was he thinking? He sure as hell wasn't thinking about awkwardly running into Lt. Flynn coming out of her bedroom, or God forbid actually hearing them. Why did he have to pick a school that didn't have student housing? Well, Flynn had his own house, maybe they'd go there. First thing he was going to do was look into transferring to a school with dorms.

He sighed and loosened his tie. They would have figured it out themselves... sooner or later... wouldn't they? The way the lieutenant looked at Sharon sometimes, Rusty was sure he was getting close to at least making a move. It was hard to believe nothing had happened between them yet. Seriously, how could people that were so old be so clueless?

He toed off his shoes and remembered the smile on Sharon's face when it all started to sink in. She was definitely smiling, sort of a silly girly smile, but still a smile. He'd seen it before when she was with Lt. Flynn. She totally had it bad. Not as bad as the lieutenant though. He'd been trailing around behind Sharon with his goofy puppy dog eyes for over a year now.

It was good the whole thing with Nicole came up because something clearly needed to kick them in the ass. They'd been stuck in this endless not dating loop for months now. He'd done the right thing. Nicole was starting to get upset and Lt. Flynn really hadn't completely lied. Even Sharon had to admit to the truth.

The night of the benefit he was sure that something had happened. The lieutenant had been practically leering when he saw Sharon in her red evening gown and Sharon had that that goofy grin on her face looking him over in his tux. They really weren't't even subtle, but judging from tonight's denials nothing had happened.

He heard the front door open and jumped off the bed to flip the lights off. He'd get undressed in the dark and sneak out to brush his teeth later.

Rusty had left the door unlocked and Sharon eased it open taking a few steps inside. Andy followed pausing in the open doorway. Sharon fumbled with the program and purse she was holding and put both down on the entry table. Andy helped her off with her coat and she took it from him, holding it in front of her. Another uncomfortable silence settled between them.

Sharon was usually so relaxed and easy to be around. He really regretted the awkwardness he'd created between them. "Hey, nothing has to change between us."

She closed her eyes for a moment shaking her head, a small smile teasing at the corners of her mouth. When she looked back up at him her eyes were sparkling, a light blush creeping across her cheeks. "It seems like things have already changed and I wasn't paying attention."

"Yeah, kinda snuck up on me too." Andy reached out and gently grasped her upper arm, his thumb caressing back and forth over the lace of her sleeve. "But we're still friends, right?"

"I hope so," she agreed, her wide smile crinkling the edges of her eyes.

He took a small step toward her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She considered his question for a moment. "Definitely," she stated with conviction. She wanted to talk, needed to in fact, but she wasn't completely sure what she'd say, what she wanted to do about all of this, what the ramifications of actually dating a subordinate were. She didn't like being this unsettled, "Just not tonight, okay?" her tone was softer, uncertain. She pulled one hand loose from her coat and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm still playing a little bit of catch up here."

"Whenever you're ready," he assured her his grin reappearing in full force as he gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Neither am I," she answered her gaze locked on his as he leaned closer. Her heart pounding until his lips settled on her cheek. She kissed his in return and they exchanged 'goodnights' as usual except nothing was usual anymore. Her hand slowly lifted and touched the spot he'd just kissed as she moved into the doorway and watched him walk down the hall.

He looked back at her one last time before he turned the corner, watched as her hand lifted from her cheek, her fingers wiggling in a delicate wave. "See you Monday," he called quietly down the hall earning a nod and quiet "Monday," in reply.

As Andy disappeared around the corner the March from the Nutcracker Suite began playing on her phone. Sharon closed and locked the door slumping against it with a sigh. It was Emily's Christmas ringtone and it hit her all of a sudden just who Rusty had been texting all evening. She was definitely going to have words with that boy. She was also changing that ringtone. The Nutcracker was beginning to lose some of its holiday appeal. She pushed herself off the door and reached for her purse. Pulling her phone and swiping her finger across the screen she answered trying to sound casual. "Hello sweetheart."

"Hi, Mom," Emily gushed not even trying to keep the giddy teasing tone out of her voice.

"How's everything?" Sharon rolled her eyes as she slipped off her heels and headed for the living room.

"Oh, everything's great with me," her daughter gushed. "How's everything with you?"

Sharon sunk down on the couch and pulled her legs up next to her. "The ballet was lovely as always and the boys were adorable little mice. It seems like it was only a few years ago you were little. Oh, do you remember the year you first got to dance with the Sugar Plum Fairy. You were so excited."

"I remember," Emily sighed, "I think I was more excited that year than I was when I finally got to be the actual Sugar Plum Fairy. Are you keeping up our tradition of going out for ice cream after the show?"

Sharon smiled at the memory. "After last year, the boys were begging to go again. Seems Felton's has hooked another generation. They're still the only decent ice cream in town."

"How's Andy?" Emily prompted.

"He's fine," she answered brightly. "He's really making an effort to be a part of his daughter's new family. He's finally learning a little about ballet, though I know he's really trying to get the boys interested in baseball." Emily's questions were getting a bit tedious and she really didn't have the patience for it. Not after tonight.

Baseball, really? Her mother was in full on avoidance mode. She tried another tack. "What did Rusty think of it all?"

"Well you should know," Sharon replied without thinking. "It was you he was texting all night, wasn't?"

"But, he didn't say anything about the ballet."

Sharon rolled her neck from one side to the other trying to loosen some of the built up tension. "And none of this is why you called, so just get it over with."

"Come on, Mom," Emily cajoled. "This is supposed to be fun."

Sharon sighed. "Fun for who?"

"You….well… me too, a little" she confessed, "… but mostly you. You're overthinking this aren't you?" Sharon's silence was answer enough. "You talk about him all the time."

"I don't talk about him all the time." Sharon denied.

"Yeah, you do," Emily countered. "I know you like him."

"Of course I like him," she reasoned, "we're friends."

"You know it's more than that," Emily pointed out. "You're totally dating.

Sharon dropped her head against the back of the couch. "That has been brought to my attention."

Emily laughed. "Did it really have to be brought to your attention? Really?" She was met with more silence from her mother, but at least she was listening. "Dating someone new is supposed to be fun. You were having fun before tonight, weren't you?

Sharon toyed with the hem of her dress, pulling it down over her thigh a little more. Then grabbed a throw pillow and hugged it to her stomach. "Yes," she admitted.

"Okay, that's a start," Emily encouraged. "So where did you leave things with him?"

"Emily, I am the mother here," Sharon asserted.

"I know, but you're a little out of practice on the whole dating thing. I am actually trying to help here." Emily sighed. This was new ground for them. She wasn't really surprised her Mom wasn't being forthcoming.

"I know, sweetie," Sharon admitted. "I just don't know if I'm ready to talk about it yet."

"You don't have to," Emily continued. "Just answer a couple simple questions. Yes or no answers only."

Sharon leaned the arm holding the phone against the back of the sofa. "Fine," she agreed though she doubted the questions would be simple.

It was a start. Emily wanted to try to connect the dots for her in small steps. "Do you like him?"

"Yes"

"Do you think he's attractive?" she asked trying not to sound like she was enjoying this too much.

Sharon smiled to herself, thinking of Andy and his boyish grin. "Yes." He was definitely attractive.

"With you on that one," Emily gushed. "He's a total fox, Mom. Way to go."

"Emily," Sharon warned, but there was no real threat in her voice, yet.

"Okay, last question," Emily paused before going in for the biggie. "Do you want to date him?"

"That is not a simple yes or no answer." Sharon replied sounding drained.

"It really is," Emily reasoned. "Don't think about the other stuff like work and families and everything else, just think about him."

"I can't not think about those things," Sharon reasoned. "They matter."

"Let's try something else." Emily tried to think of another way to get to the heart of the matter. Finally asking, "Do you want to… kiss… him?

"I'm not going to answer that." Sharon protested. She wasn't about to tell her daughter that kissing Andy was one of the many thoughts she hadn't been able to get out of her mind all evening.

"I'll take that as a yes," Emily said with a giggle. "Stop thinking about all the problems and focus on the fact that this could be something really great. Enjoy the possibility, at least for tonight."

"Okay, I'll try," It sounded like a good idea. If she could actually do it, she might get some sleep tonight, but the odds were against her.

"I don't know if I get a vote in this…" Emily began with a laugh.

"You don't." Sharon cut her off.

"Well," she continued, "I say go for it, Mom. He makes you happy. Plus, you said he's a good dancer," she heard her Mom's laugh clearly, "You know that probably means he's good at … other things."

"Okay, this conversation is over," Sharon proclaimed still laughing. Her daughter was audacious though well meaning, but she had her limits.

Emily was happy that she'd made her Mom at least laugh and hopefully feel less freaked out. "Bye, Mom. Love you."

"I love you too, honey. Good night." Sharon ended the call and leaned further into the couch cushions and hugged the pillow she was holding with both arms. She should get up and get ready for bed, but she was comfortable for the moment. She just wanted to sit here and try to do what Emily suggested, think about all the good points about Andy and the possibilities that the future might hold.