Thank you so much again for all of your support for my stories! This one is just a comical/fluffy short story (three chapters) that popped into my head after seeing a desire on social media for Sharon to get caught up in Flynn and Provenza's antics. It also deals with Sharon and Andy's quest to move in together. As always, I welcome your feedback.
I do not own Major Crimes or any of the fabulous characters. That honor belongs to James Duff and co. I just enjoy writing about them.
Chapter One
Beeeeeep, beeeeeeep
Andy was growing impatient with his grumpy partner. He had been waiting in his driveway for close to ten minutes. How long did it take to grab your things and say goodbye to your wife? Finally, he saw Provenza walking out his front door, scowl firmly in place. As he reached the passenger side door, he opened it with more force than was necessary before plopping down in the seat and throwing his bag in the back.
"You know, Flynn, your ridiculous honking only caused me to slow down," he barked with annoyance. Andy shifted the car into reverse and began backing out of the short, paved driveway.
"It got you out here, didn't it?" Andy retorted as he reached the end of the driveway and shifted into drive before he began navigating the road.
"Yes, but I would have been out here sooner if you hadn't decided to be an obnoxious ass," Provenza replied.
"I don't understand what takes so long to get out of the house," Andy answered, exasperated.
"I don't understand what has you so impatient. Your friend is letting us borrow his boat for the whole day, right?" He asked. Andy rolled his eyes.
"Yes, and I'd like to enjoy a full day on the sea," he replied before turning off the main road. The move caught Provenza's attention and confusion crossed his face.
"This isn't the way to the marina," he protested.
"Yeah, I know. I gotta make a stop first," Andy said a bit suspiciously.
"A stop? Isn't this the way to... Oh no! You invited the captain on our boat trip?" Provenza exclaimed.
"No, I invited my girlfriend, and if you recall, I also invited Patrice," Andy reminded him. Provenza shook his head.
"You know Patrice gets sea sick!" Provenza protested.
"Well, Sharon doesn't. And besides, I invited her first," Andy said with a smile. A look of sheer disgust and outrage crossed Provenza's features as they pulled into Sharon's condo's parking lot. Andy pulled into a guest parking spot and put the car in park. He started to exit, when Provenza turned to him.
"What, no horn?!" He exclaimed. Andy just shook his head and closed the door before heading into the building. Provenza waited in the car stewing over his annoying partner and his even more annoying relationship with their captain. It wasn't that he wasn't happy for them and their relationship, but rather, the annoying factor that they all worked together. The whole thing seemed ill advised despite its (thus far) roaring success. Well, if they were going to subject him to an afternoon of their ridiculous mushy looks and lingering touches, then there was no way he was giving up the front seat. After all, he was here first.
When the pair finally walked out of the front door of the building and towards Andy's car, Provenza couldn't help but notice their joined hands. He rolled his eyes. They approached the car and Andy opened the front passenger door, much to Provenza's chagrin. They engaged in a round of polite greetings before Andy began motioning for Provenza to vacate his seat and move to the back.
"No need to kick the lieutenant out of his seat, Andy. I can sit in the back," Sharon said kindly. Andy frowned and Provenza wanted to plant his feet into the floorboard of the car just to spite his ridiculous partner, but common decency got the better of him. He stood up and began exiting the car just as Sharon was opening the back door.
"Nonsense, Captain. You can have the front," he announced before motioning for her to sit in his vacated spot. "Besides, Flynn's already driving me crazy up there," he added. She shook her head and decided it was best not to ask.
The three made their way to the marina in comfortable friendliness much to Provenza's surprise. As they arrived at the marina and began walking towards the boat they would call theirs for the day, Andy couldn't contain his excitement.
"So, I went online and navigated our entire trip out last night. I think we're going to be able to see a lot of amazing things," he said enthusiastically. Provenza rolled his eyes. Sharon smiled at his excitement. She reached over and rubbed her hand across his back.
"It was so nice of your friend to allow us to borrow his boat," she enthused.
"Yeah, he said he was going to be out of town so we were welcome to it," Andy explained as they boarded the modest cabin cruiser. He reached out a hand and helped Sharon cross the rather wide gap between the dock and the boat, but then left Provenza to fend for himself.
As they settled in, Andy took a seat in the captain's chair and inserted the key. He looked around hesitantly at the control panel in front of him. Sharon took the seat next to him and seemed to pick up on his uneasiness right away.
"Andy, you do know how to operate the boat, right?" She asked a bit nervously. Andy's appeasing smile did nothing to ease her nerves.
"Of course I do, honey. Gary went over everything with me," he assured her. She gave him a disbelieving look.
"Here at the marina?" She asked cautiously.
"Well, no, but we were so busy with that case," he explained with a nervous smile. Provenza rolled his eyes from his seat in the back. Sharon's gaze turned heavenward.
"But you've piloted a boat before..." She asked.
"Yeah," he replied and relief crossed her face. It was short lived. "When I was a kid, but don't worry, Gary was very thorough on the phone," he added a little more confidently than he felt.
"Ye gods, Flynn!" Provenza called out. Sharon felt hesitation fill her entire body.
"Maybe we should just wait for a weekend when Gary is available-" Sharon started, but was interrupted by the loud roar of the motor starting up.
"See, honey, there's nothing to worry about. Trust me," Andy said as they untied the boat and began backing away from the safety of the marina. Sharon just gave him a small, forced smile.
Thirty minutes later, they were cruising along the open water and things were going, surprisingly, well. Sharon had relaxed enough to remove her swimsuit cover-up revealing the aqua blue tankini that flattered her figure and showed off her assets perfectly. She was relaxing on one of the sun drenched, cushioned bench seats in the back of the boat while her lieutenants were talking about the features of the boat as they sat next to each other in their t-shirts and swimming trunks. Boys and their toys, she thought with a smile.
They were cruising along at a good clip when suddenly, the boat made a strangled sound and came to a complete stop. Sharon sat up and looked at the two men piloting the boat. They both gave her a confused shrug in return. She could hear the motor struggle as Andy tried to propel them forward. It was useless. They were stuck. She leaned over the back of the boat and quickly found the cause.
"Andy, stop!" She yelled after discovering that the boat had run aground. "We're stuck on a sand bar. You'll only dig us in deeper," she explained as the two men moved to the back of the boat. They both stared at the high sand and low water as if willing it to correct itself.
"How the hell did that happen?" Andy asked flabbergasted. Sharon turned to him.
"Well, were you using your depth finder?" She asked. Confusion crossed his features, and then realization.
"Now that you mention it, that does sound familiar," he replied, and she pursed her lips.
"Ok, what does it say now?" She asked quietly. Andy knew that tone and it wasn't good.
"Well, I'm no expect, Captain, but I would guess it says that we're in deep shit," Provenza replied and Sharon rolled her eyes.
"I'm wondering, Lieutenant, how large this sand bar is and whether we can get ourselves off of it," she explained calmly. Andy rushed back to the control panel and checked the instruments.
"Looks like we're right on the edge of it. If we could just move the boat over a small bit we could get free," he called back. Sharon thought about it for a moment before stating the obvious.
"Well, clearly, we're going to need someone to push," she said as both she and Andy looked over at Provenza. His eyes widened.
"Oh no, no way!" He exclaimed.
Andy started the engine and slowly increased the speed while Provenza stood on the outside of the side of the boat pushing with all his might. The boat began to lurch forward and to the side and the motor pulled up a bunch of wet sand. As Andy increased the speed to the motor, it struggled some more before it suddenly kicked up a much larger amount of sand and propelled the boat forward, getting it more stuck in the process.
Sharon looked over at her second in command and saw him covered in sand. She had to fight back the laughter that threatened to spill over. As she studied him, she noticed that he didn't seem as annoyed as she expected him to be. Instead, he looked a bit horrified.
"Flynn! Flynn!" He yelled. "Being stuck isn't our only problem anymore," he added. Both Sharon and Andy looked at him with concerned expressions.
"What is it, Lieutenant?" Sharon asked cautiously.
"A body. At least it used to be," he said staring at the gruesome discovery uncovered in the sand bar. Sharon looked over the back of the boat and saw the partially uncovered remains and the many pieces the boat's motor had broken them into.
"Andy, call it in. And tell them to bring something they can tow a boat with. This boat is now evidence in a possible murder investigation," she explained with crossed arms and a purse of her lips. The two lieutenants stared at each other in disbelief before Andy hurried off to grab his phone.
TBC