Disclaimer: I do not own these characthers

Sharon watched as Rusty tried and failed to tie his tie for the fifth time. It was his big day, one that she wasn't sure would come with all the treats against his life. Now it was here, he was finally graduating from St. Josephs. He looked so cute in his navy blue suite as he stood in front of the hall way mirror trying to, has she put it, be a young man and tie his own tie. Up until now, someone else had always done the task for him but today she wanted him to try and do it his self, there was no Buzz or Provence that was going to save him today.

He let out a frustrated sign causing his bangs to puff out. "Sharon can't just to this for me, I don't see how learning to tie my own tie today is really all that important. I can't get it to look like how you showed me, can't you just do it this last time. I promise I will get it the next time."

She shook her head, he could be so cute when he wine. She was just happy that it wasn't about police detail or not having freedom to be a teen. Those troubles was behind them for the time being and Sharon couldn't be happier. It was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, she was finally able to breath, and she hadn't realized that she was as stressed as she was until the matter was all but over.

She closed her computer, she was seated at her desk in the living room watching him, trying her hardest to not intervene. She had been dressed and ready to go for about ten minutes. They still had a good hour to kill. She stood and smooth out her with sheath cut dress that had tasteful slits up the sides. The dress fit her like a glove, she had been waiting for a good excuse to wear it, and the day of her youngest graduation was as good as any. She stepped out of her red manolo blahniks, no point in killing her feet so soon before she absolutely needed to, though they weren't that high.

She walked over to him, turning him from the mirror. She stood with her head to the slide as she often did when he was frustrated and gave him a sympatric smile. "If others keep doing this for you how will you ever learn?" Her voice was soft and sweet the one that she often used when she talked to him. It had a way of calming him and at times getting him to open up.

He rolled his eyes. "Sharon, it's a stupid tie, it may surprise you to learn that I won't have a real need for this for a while. I should have just loosen it up and kept the knot in if from the last time Lt. Provence tied it for me. That way I could have just slipped it back on instead of trying to tie some unimportant stupid tie. I mean, I'm going to be wearing a grown over this, who's going to see it any way." He dropped his hands to his waist and begin shaking his head in an exasperated way.

She smiled at him and gave one of her knowing looks. She placed her hands on his shoulders and gently rubbed them. He was nervous, she knew this kind of rant anywhere. When he was feeling out of his element he got like this, getting upset over the smallest things instead of voicing his true feelings. She wondered what was so nerve wracking about getting your diploma. For a moment she wonder if this particular rant had anything to do with the fact that his mom wasn't here to see this mile stone in his life. She felt bad for him, she would give anything to take any hurt feeling that he may have. She wanted him to enjoy today, if any one deserved to have happy it was him.

She decided to just give in, he can learn a lesson another day. She laughed inwardly at this, what she going to do, follow him around and do all the things that he didn't want to do for him. Was that what they called mothering.

"Ok my love, I will do this for you." She straighten up the tie ends and began going about tying it for him. "But you know, leaving the knot in it and slipping out of it could just damage the fabric, it'll start looking worn and you don't want that. She said shaking her head with a small frown on her lips.

Rusty rolled his eyes, she could be such a mother sometimes.

She smiled, knowing that the comment would get that kind of response. "Are you feeling a little nervous, I know I was when I had to walk across that big stage with all my classmates watching, all I could think was that I would tip and fall. Are you feeling like that?"

Rusty looked down and away from her for a minute, he considered what she asked. Was he feeling nervous? He was feeling something but he wasn't sure what, scared maybe? He actually didn't want to have to do this, why couldn't they just let you listen to the stupid commencement speech from your seat and then mail you your diploma. What was the point of having your name called and going across a platform to have your family members yell your name so they could get your picture while you shook the hand of the person handing over a stupid piece of paper...He felt his heart sink... That was it. That was what was bothering him. What if Sharon got called in and couldn't come? No one would be there if she didn't show. He would look like a complete loser.

He turned and looked at her. "You're going to come right, he asked completely ignoring her question, "I mean, what if you get called into work, we still have like an hour before graduation actually starts, what if theres a murder?"

She stopped what she was doing. Rusty, I wouldn't miss this for the world, of course I'm going to be there." She smiled. "There are plenty of others on my team that can handle things."

"But you couldn't make it when I had my trail because of a case."

"True, but that was different, you know I wanted to be there but I really wanted to get the guy that tried to…hurt you, she didn't want to say kill she had been trying to get that thought out of her mind and his for a while now, "Nothing is going to keep me from seeing you get your diploma, I promise."

He smiled at her she smiled back and gave him a wink. She turned him toward the mirror with one arm around his shoulder to admire her handy work. She tilted her head to lay against his for a moment, she wonder how long he would allow her to hold him like this. He smirked at their reflection.

"Not bad, I must say you look very nice Mr. Beck, she let her arm drop from his shoulder and stepped slightly away from him, "I'm…I'm very proud of you Rusty and I'm so happy for you today. You should be proud of yourself you know that right?" She was feeling a little emotional, she had to stop before she begin crying and she couldn't have that, he would probably freak out. He looked away for a moment getting a little emotional as well but didn't want to show it. Rusty hated crying in front of others and definitely didn't want to it today, he wasn't a baby though in truth he did wine a little if he thought it would get him what he wanted out of Sharon, she was easy sometimes, not many times but sometimes.

He smiled at her shyly. "Thanks Sharon" He wanted to say more, tell her that he owed her everything, that he wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for her. That she meant more to him than she could ever know but instead he stuck his hands in his pockets as he often did when he was feeling a bit overwhelmed.

She smiled back. "You're very welcome. Okay how about we get this show on the road, she turned from him and began to gather her things. Her purse was on the table next to her computer where she had left her shoes. "I don't want you to be late, this is LA there could be traffic. Rusty took one last look in the mirror and hurried to his room to gather up the rest of his things. After graduation he and some friends was going to hang out. Sharon was taking him to dinner first of course, he owed her a sit down diner before he ran off for a day of fun with people his own age.

He picked up his book bag that held his change of clothes. A photo of he and Kris caught his attention. He had apologized to her for overreacting when she told Emma about the letters. He didn't want to admit it at the time, he was too upset, but she was right. She was a true friend, one that only wanted the best for him. So after that Wade guy was no longer trying to kill him he drove to her house and told her everything that had happened. And being a real friend, she accepted the apology but only after he promised to never mistreat her again and buy her a nice dinner.

The picture was of them on said nice dinner, the restaurant was close to the water and they had seats on the patio with the view of the water behind them. They were sitting next to each other with their heads touching, Kris had told him that if he didn't smile she would kill him. So he wore that biggest smile he could muster, he felt stupid but it was worth it if he made up for how he had treated her. Later she had the photo framed in a picture frame that read 'best friends forever'. He thought the picture frame was a bit cheesy but the words on it were true when it came to their relationship. He was happy to have had come clean about that to her too and she was more than understanding.

"Rusty, you almost done, we should get going." Sharon called from the hallway

"Coming, he called back, he grabbed his keys and cell phone he was riding with Sharon but would catch a ride with Kris for their big day out on the town with their friends. He found Sharon picking up her car keys out of the dish she kept on the table by the door. She was holding a multi-color clutch that had bits of red in it. For the first time Rusty noticed what Sharon was wearing.

She had gotten her hair blown out so it was full and bouncy it actually made her look a lot younger than she was. Her red lips looked perfect as did her makeup and she wasn't wearing her glasses. She was glowing and Rusty wonder for the first time why he hadn't notice that his foster mom was a looker. He laughed at this and shook his head, was it ok to notice such things about a parent? He decided that it wasn't weird. It wasn't like he was Norman Bates.

"Sharon, you look really good."

She paused and looked at him, she couldn't remember him complementing her like that before, and it caught her off guard. She smiled shyly. "Thank you Rusty."

He walked over to the door and opened it for her. "Hey, if you want, I could drive." He always wanted to drive her car, it was so nice but knew that she would never allow it let alone sit in the driver seat while he waited for her when she ran in a store to pick something up. So the joke was on him when she nonchalantly handed him the car keys and strolled pass him carrying his cap and grown.

"Come along Rusty, we don't want to be late." She said to her shocked son who was still holding the door opened, dumbfounded and staring at the keys in his hand.

Sharon smiled, today was going to be a great day she was feeling good and Rusty was safe.

Thanks for reading. This is my first attempt at putting something on this website. So please review but be kind..I'm new here :-)