More than Luck

By Kadi

Rated: M

Disclaimer: Major Crimes is not my sandbox, but I enjoyed playing in it!

A/N: I began writing this as an exercise in fluff and fun a few weeks ago. When Episode 2x16: At Risk aired, it became decidedly AU, but just continued growing. Sharon and Andy had a lot they wished to say, and Rusty wouldn't be ignored either. I'm enjoying the potential that we've seen between Sharon and Andy, and maybe this is just what I'd like to see happen between now and season hiatus. Enjoy!

Chapter 1

In hindsight it was completely inevitable. Given everything that they knew about her, or at the very least, given every experience that they'd had with DDA Rios to date, it really was a given that she would jump to the absolute wrong conclusion the very second that her eyes landed upon Gavin Baker chatting and laughing with her witness. She seemed to forget, quite often, that the witness had a name, and was not actually a possession to which she could lay claim. It didn't seem to matter how hard she tried in her efforts to be less annoying, in the end, DDA Emma Rios simply could not see beyond her own needs, wants, and ambitions.

"You have got to be kidding me right now!" Rios's shrill voice filled the murder room. She was staring at Rusty with Gavin, looking completely outraged. "She has gone too far. This. This is it. This is too much."

Two blond heads turned toward her. Rusty looked puzzled, while Gavin tilted his head in silent amusement. The pair of them were leaning against Flynn's desk. The Lieutenant was standing nearby, and the amusement he was previously displaying at their antics faded. He huffed a sigh and rolled his eyes skyward before sharing a, here we go, glance with Tao.

While the others did not seem willing to engage her, Gavin was not quite so accommodating. He stretched his long legs out in front of them and folded his hands in his lap. "DDA Rios. What a pleasant surprise." His cheerful greeting was over embellished, but then, he liked to over embellish a lot of things. "How long has it been dear. Two? Three weeks? Did you miss me. Oh! Those shoes. Gucci?" Gavin looked at Rusty beside him, the teenager still puzzled and looking decidedly uncomfortable. "Between you and me, I prefer Michael Kors or Monolo for the work place, but to each their own yes? Oh my god," he waved a hand at Rusty. "You should see the Jimmy Choo boots that I picked up for…" He lowered his voice, going purposefully conspiratorial with an obvious glance toward the Captain's office. "You know who," he whispered loudly. "Picked them up over the weekend, and they are to die for," he sing-songed. "There's a matching hand bag, I put your name on that one. She'll never believe you had anything to do with it, but she already adores you, so she'll just love me even more."

"Uh." Rusty was blinking rapidly and sliding farther away. He was beginning to look slightly panicked as his gaze swept the room. "I'm really not comfortable having any part of your shopping addiction. Just because you buy things for other people does not mean that you're not sick." Emma was turning an interesting shade of puce, and so Rusty played along. Gavin was funny. He liked the lawyer, and he made Sharon giggle. Not just laughter, but giggle, the two of them were a pair - especially when there was a bottle of Moscato involved. He sometimes thought they were absolute, polar opposites, but apparently they liked a lot of the same things and they went back. Way, way back. He would still like to get out of there, though. Emma was going to explode, and he could do without being part of that. Besides, he hadn't done anything. Lately.

"Katie warned me about you," Rusty continued. "You are a bad, bad man who will use anyone that you can for your shopping obsession, and the fact that you couldn't possibly fit anything else into your condo."

"Lies!" Gavin placed a hand against his chest. "I'm deeply disturbed and hurt by this. My own goddaughter." He craned his head toward Sharon's office. "The fruit of your loins has rotted. It's spreading horrible, unfounded, completely malicious untruths." Flynn had his phone in his hand, and must have alerted her to Emma's presence and current outrage. Sharon had appeared, holding a folder in one hand and her phone in the other. Sneaky, those two. "After I had to suffer through nine hours of that labor, the sleepless nights, the lack of shopping, and no cocktails, what do I get? Lies and recriminations."

More than accustomed to Gavin's overly dramatic take on life, Sharon simply rolled her eyes at him. "She is only your goddaughter in name, and only because the two of you share a deeply passionate obsession with designer footwear that you have been nurturing since she was five. As to the rest, it was six hours, and you haven't missed a moment of beauty sleep in your entire life. Not to mention the fact that I didn't meet you until three years after Katherine was born, but the story is getting better. I will give you points for that." She folded her arms, holding the folder against her chest and tilted her head at him. There was suspicion in her narrowed eyes. "DDA Rios, what can we do for you today? We were expecting DDA Hobbs."

Her mouth was open, but she was scarcely able to make any sound. Instead, she was pointing at Gavin and Rusty, then at Raydor. She managed a couple of squeaks before she snapped her mouth closed and breathed slowly through her nose. It took another moment before she was capable of coherent speech. It was obvious that she was infuriated about something, given the fact she was practically trembling with it. "Captain, need I remind you that by securing legal counsel for a witness, you are completely undermining his testimony, and opening us up to all sorts of questions by the defense about why he could possibly need legal counsel in the first place. Not to mention that we agreed you would not make any more decisions regarding this trial and my witness without discussing them with me."

For her part, Sharon simply arched a brow at the younger woman. Then her gaze slid toward Gavin. The lawyer shrugged. Then he folded his legs and stood, straightening to his full height. He stood over both women, hands still clasped in front of him. "I'd like to go on record at this point and state that no one here has even the vaguest idea of what you are talking about. You aren't making a lot of sense at the moment, but then, your rarely do. Otherwise you'd have won against me at least once by now. Don't feel badly about that, few people do actually manage to win. Further, I should inform you that I am not now, nor have I ever been on retainer for Captain Raydor." He leaned forward, smiling widely. "Friends don't let friends pay for legal work," he whispered loudly. "I mean, if she had to pay me then she couldn't afford to go shopping with me, and honestly, that would just be… no. You think she's unpleasant now, take away her ability to stay ahead of this season's hottest couture and…" He whistled loudly. Then he caught sight of the look he was getting from the woman he was discussing and grinned widely, but sheepishly. "Too much?"

"A little bit." Sharon walked forward and held out the folder. "All yours." Her phone went into her pocket then her hands found her hips. "Whatever you've done, bought, or considered buying, forget it."

"Too late." He opened the file and made sure that she had signed it. With a surreptitious glance at her over the rims of his glasses he took in her posture and the lines around her eyes. His own eyes narrowed slightly. There was curiosity and amusement in her gaze. There was also a hint of regret. No matter how long this was in coming, it was still not easy. He closed the file and slipped it into the briefcase at his feet.

"Figures." Sharon shook her head in resignation, and then allowed her attention to drift back to Rios. "I'm sorry Emma, I'm not sure what it is you think we've done or conspired to do. Gavin is here on a personal matter, his presence has nothing to do with the trial, no matter how badly he would like for me to ask him to step in on our behalf. I am, despite your belief to the contrary, a woman of my word. I've agreed that we will discuss any further decisions that could impact the trial, outside any of those that I have a right to make as Rusty's legal guardian. If that doesn't duly satisfy your current ire, then I do not believe anything will. Now then, are you here regarding our current case, or are we still waiting on DDA Hobbs?"

"Please say it's Hobbs," Provenza mumbled under his breath. The sooner Rios left them alone, the better they would all be. He didn't think he would ever be less a fan of a woman than he was of Raydor. He was wrong. Oh so incredibly wrong. He was having visions of drawing another witch and broom on the murder board, but naming it differently. Actually, having gotten to know both Raydor and Rios better, Provenza was actually feeling badly about the way they'd once treated the Captain. Almost. She could still be a handful. The problem was, she was their handful now. That meant that they were the only ones allowed to screech at her with indignation and give her a hard time. Although if he were completely honest with himself, he was usually the one screeching. Bellowing loudly in any case. Provenza looked up and caught Flynn's gaze. The pair of them shook their heads, then Provenza went back to his crossword with a quietly grumbled, "Hobbs, Hobbs, Hobbs…"

For her part, Rios did not appear to be following along very well. Now she looked as puzzled as the others and upon her entry. "What are you talking about?" She pointed a hand at Gavin and Rusty. "If you haven't hired him, then what is he doing talking to my witness?"

"Oh my god!" Rusty shot up from his spot on Flynn's desk as though a rocket had gone off in his back pocket. "Are you serious right now? Like, really? Do you even hear yourself? You're like a broken.. um…" He began snapping his fingers, looking for the right word. "You know, thing that old people like them listen to."

"The word you're looking for is record. She's like a broken record." Flynn fixed him with a look. "And hey… watch it kid."

"Right." Rusty didn't miss his beat after that. "You sound like a broken record. Don't talk to my witness," he waved his hands, pantomiming her little fits and tantrums as he imitated her behavior. "Don't let my witness go anywhere. Or have a life. Or like, go to the bathroom by himself. Ooh! He might break a nail. You are like seriously driving me crazy right now. If I weren't already talking to Dr. Joe, I would need to talk to Dr. Joe for no other reason than the fact that you are in my life. You're like a leach, you are seriously sucking the life out of me. I was only sitting here talking to someone, and I'm sorry that the someone I was talking to happens to be a very good lawyer and that you feel completely inferior to him, but it was just a conversation. It had nothing to do with you, and again, I'm very sorry that while you have managed to take over almost my entire life, that there are still some parts of it that do not revolve around you!"

Fists clenched, and breathing hard, Rusty had taken a step forward. Sharon intercepted him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Alright, that's enough. She gave the shoulder a squeeze to draw his attention. Her smile was pained, but her eyes were soft. She knew what this was doing to him. It was all painful and unfortunate, and worst of all there was nothing that she could do to shield him from any of it. "Go, walk it off."

"Really?" Rusty huffed. "She comes in here and starts screaming at everyone, and I get…"

"No." Sharon cut him off before he could turn his tantrum on her. "That's not it at all. You made your point, and it was a good one. But right now you need to go and cool off. So go. Take a walk," she enunciated slowly, gaze never wavering. "Go on," she turned him gently toward the exit and nodded for his ever present security escort to join him.

"Fine." Rusty understood what she was doing. At least, he hoped he did. He hoped she was sending him away because she was about to tear Emma apart, and him being the kid, it really was inappropriate for her to do it in front of him. It was one of those weird little rules that Sharon loved so much. Rusty trudged toward the door, glancing back only once. Sharon was watching him, arms now folded across her chest. He huffed another sigh and walked out of the murder room.

"Okay look," Emma had whirled and was now glowering at Sharon. "You are going to have to get that kid under control, or we are going to have to find someone else who can. I cannot have him going off like that and attacking me…"

"Hm." Sharon hummed quietly. "Oh, I completely agree," she strolled slowly forward, voice dropping a notch and becoming quieter.

Members of her squad had exchanged looks. Gavin had taken a full step back and noticed Detective Sanchez gripping the edge of his desk. Oh, they were good. They had already gotten to know her. They, each of them, had recognized the danger in the situation. This was going to be interesting, Gavin decided. Even old man Provenza had put down his crossword and was looking on, dare he say, with some amount of eagerness?

"I think the problem here is not only with Rusty's outburst, and while I will handle that, I can understand the frustration behind it. I'm not entirely sure what happened here, as I did not witness the entire exchange, but given that this is only one of several other such episodes, I can imagine what took place. The issue at hand is your behavior." Sharon stopped in front of Emma and stared down her nose at the younger woman. "Yes. Rusty is a material witness, that happens to be a fact that you have never allowed a single one of us forget. What you seem to have forgotten is that he is not your witness. He is not a possession. He is not a thing. He is a child. A child whose life happens to have been turned upside down again and again, and before you open your mouth again, DDA Rios," Sharon could see her gearing up to do just that. "You need to remember that you only recall or care that he is a child when it suits your purpose to do so. I understand how much pressure you must be feeling. If Phillip Stroh goes free it's ultimately on your head. That's quite a big responsibility, and I get how important it must make you feel. Given the short length of time you've spent with the DA's office, to this point in your career, this is the most important trial you've had. At the same time, the world does not revolve around you. It does not revolve around this trial. We have entire conversations that have nothing to do with you. I dare say we've even gone days without mentioning your name even once. Whatever is going on inside that little head of yours, DDA Rios, when you are here, I want you to check it at the door. My murder room is no place for your little tantrums, for your emotional outbursts, or whatever else has got you screeching like a banshee at the moment."

She turned on her heel, a clear signal that the conversation was over, and strode back to Gavin. "You'll take care of that?"

He gave her a look, as though questioning her sanity. "Of course I will. Oh, I get it. I'm being dismissed." Gavin pouted. "No fun." He grabbed his brief case. "I'll call you. It's been fun gentlemen, and Sykes. Next time I will bring refreshments." He stopped at the door and turned back. "Call me," he ordered Sharon, his playful demeanor gone in a second and his look penetrating and serious. "Or I'll come back and be not so friendly."

"I guess we're waiting for Hobbs," Provenza announced. He leaned back in his chair and folded his hands against his stomach. The young DDA had stormed out in a huff ahead of Gavin. "Pity she couldn't stay. I do so miss that Emma when she's not around."

"Hm." Sharon turned on her heel and walked back to her office. She stopped halfway there and sighed before turning back. "I do apologize. That was… unfortunate." She shrugged a single shoulder and gave them a sheepish half grin. Life with Rusty often overflowed into the workplace, and despite all of the years that she spent keeping life and home completely separate of one another it all seemed to be right out the window from the moment she joined Major Crimes.

"You're kidding me right?" Flynn gave her an incredulous look. "She totally flipped out and jumped to the wrong conclusion and you are apologizing for the unfortunate scene that we all just witnessed? Come on, Captain. We were all here. There's no reason to apologize for anything. Rios is… well, to put it plainly, an absolute pain in the ass. And I for one hope you go easy on the kid. She had it coming."

"Be that as it may," she stated, in her usual low tone, "there is a time and a place and this was not it. Lieutenant Provenza," she looked past Andy, "you'll tell me when DDA Hobbs arrives?"

"Yeah, sure…" He had gone back to his crossword and waved a hand in her general direction.

Andy watched Sharon disappear behind her office door with a shake of his head. He stood where he was for a moment before looking around at the others. Sanchez merely shrugged and went back to his work. Tao and Buzz said nothing before doing likewise. After waiting a beat, Andy decided that he was not going to let it go. He followed her.

He knocked on the door as he pushed it open, and closed it behind him before she could dodge him by sending him away. "Look, I get it," he walked toward her desk, hands held in front of him. She hadn't even sat down yet, and was looking at him with both surprise and a bit of resignation. "I do, but come on, Sharon. We all know that she was out of line, and we don't mind that you handled it, or that Gavin riled her up even more before you handled it. It's fine. So why don't you tell me what it is that really has you tucking tale and hiding in here?" He leaned over her desk and rested his hands, palms down.

"I beg your pardon?" She folded her arms over her chest and moved so that the desk was firmly between the pair of them. "I am not hiding anywhere. I do not hide." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "I actually have a lot of work to do. This squad generates a lot of paperwork. Since I would like to have it done at a point in time resembling something reasonable and sane, I am doing it now." Sharon waved a hand at her desk, on which there were two sizable stacks of paperwork awaiting her attention. To make her point, she sat down and picked up her pen. "You might try doing a little work of your own, Lieutenant."

She had used her you're pushing it tone. Andy just rolled his eyes at her and leaned closer. "Sharon." His tone dipped, becoming softer. She was good at compartmentalizing. If he hadn't known it just by working with her, then seeing her with Rusty and with the time they'd spent together outside of work would have driven the point home. Sharon had an uncanny ability to become someone else, depending upon the situation, the location, and a number of other factors. Beneath it all, it was still her, simply different facets of her personality and each of them a little more fascinating than the last.

They had witnessed the rule book while she was still in Internal Affairs; with her move to Major Crimes they were allowed to see the detective and the administrator. Say what they would about her adherence to the rules, the woman could run a squad. She was organized, she could balance the politics, and she was fair. With the addition of Rusty to all of their lives they had begun to see the first chinks in the armor of her strict separation between home and work. It had allowed them to see the mother, the woman who had raised two children on her own, while working a job that was neither simple nor always enjoyable. He supposed when they got right down to the heart of it, it was Rusty that introduced them to Sharon. It was hard to say if they would have ever accepted her without having witnessed the glimpses of the woman behind the Captain, they would never really know, but it was another drop in a line of falling dominoes.

At his daughter's wedding there was a part of him that had expected to pick up his boss, but Andy was pleasantly surprised to meet his friend instead. The laughing, smiling woman that had danced with him, charmed his daughter and other members of his family, and truth be told, himself as well. When he was really, truly honest with himself, that was already happening. Had been happening for a very long time. He should have known that she would see right through his pitiful excuse for asking her to the ballet. She nailed him on it while at dinner. Luckily for him she was understanding and concerned enough about what he'd been feeling leading up to asking her that she had waved that away. Then she had smiled and given him a do over, as she said her kids called it. As a man well versed in second chances and not blowing them, Flynn was smart enough to spill the entire pathetic tale.

He had never heard her laugh like that before. Andy honestly couldn't say that he had seen anything quite as amusing, or as enchanting, as Sharon with her head thrown back laughing at… well, him. He was already attracted to her, but that was the moment that did it. Now he was completely besotted. It was a lost cause, he was a complete goner. Provenza had already offered to put him out of his misery simply for acting like he had a crush on her. If he knew the truth, he might just do it. Now, as he and Sharon engaged in their staring contest, Andy wouldn't call it misery, not in the least.

It was his tone that did it, as much as the unwavering dark eyed gaze that wouldn't let her hide. As much as she said she wasn't, they both knew the truth of it. Sharon was the first to look away. Her eyes dropped to her desk, where she dropped her pen and clasped her hands together. She breathed slowly, pulling air into and out of her lungs.

"Emma Rios is a gnat," she stated finally. "I can handle her. Most of the time." Sharon picked at her nails and wouldn't look up again. She was not accustomed to feeling so out of herself, so completely uncertain. "But it is becoming harder and harder for me to ensure Rusty's safety. It is getting increasingly more difficult to protect him. As soon as Dr. Joe turns in his evaluation, and if it goes the way I think it did, Rusty is going to be back on the street actively looking for the person who has been threatening his life."

When she did look up, the pain in her green eyes almost took his breath away. Andy lowered himself into one of the chairs in front of her desk. "We'll keep an eye on him. You know that. The kid won't be out of our sight, not even for a second. Sharon, nothing is going to happen to Rusty."

"I know we'll try," She sighed softly and leaned back, shoulders slumping. "We will do everything that we can, but I also know that isn't always enough. Still," Sharon paused for a moment. "That isn't the sort of protection I was talking about. Emma is an annoyance, but as much as I hate to admit it, as long as he is a material witness, Rusty's placement with me is tenuous. Emma likes to dangle his continued presence in my home like a carrot. Then there is our very own Assistant Chief Taylor, who now has ammunition to use when it suits his purpose to do so. They both forget that he's just a child. He's just a boy who has never had a moment of stability in his life, and now that he could almost reach out and grasp it… they're going to use him against me to get what they want from me." She reached back, rubbing her neck, and drew her hair around over her right shoulder. "There are days I feel like everyone would have been better served if I had just stayed in Internal Affairs."

"I don't think so." He smiled at her, but ached at how defeated she looked at the moment. "Without you here, Rusty would be in another group home, or worse. Not to mention what would have happened to the rest of us. We need you here, Sharon."

"Hm." It drew a smile from her. She let her head rest against the back of her chair. "I never thought I'd hear that, and not from you of all people." Sharon shook her head. "You've had more reason than any of them to despise me. That makes it all seem a little bit… odd, doesn't it?"

He inclined his head, lips pursing slightly. "Maybe." Andy leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "Or maybe it just means I'm smart enough to know the advantages that come with being teacher's pet." His dark eyes sparkled at her, and he grinned crookedly. "Come on, you've been riding my ass for years, if we can get beyond that… the rest is easy."

Sharon laughed, it was a low, throaty chuckle. "Does that mean you've forgiven me?"

"For turning my cases over to that punk brat when you found out I was doodling during my fourth go 'round in Anger Management? Hell no." Andy's grin widened. "That you have to make up to me personally."

"Oh. Is that right?" Her clasped hands rested against her stomach. Sharon shook her head at him. "I spoke to Gavin about… protecting Rusty," she stated, growing serious again. "My only real option is to put forth a movement to have his mother's parental rights terminated and then to legally adopt him myself. An action that I do not see Rusty agreeing to. It's been a year, but to Rusty, his mother is still this mythical thing that could miraculously return. At the same time, before I can even think about adopting Rusty, there are some other… issues.. that I need to work out."

"Jack." Andy understood the unspoken loose end.

"Jack." Sharon acknowledged with a sigh. "For twenty years I've been telling people that it was all just so very Catholic," her lip curled slightly. "The truth is that while that is a part of it, there was also the fact of the kids trust funds. The trusts were created when they were born and matured upon their twenty-first birthdays. First Ricky, then Katie. If he wants half my pension and the rest, he can have it, although Gavin has always stated that I had excellent grounds for avoiding that. I don't care. That's never bothered me, but the kids funds… Jack has taken so much away from them already, I won't let him have those too. So I waited for them to mature. They did." Sharon shrugged at him. "I signed the divorce papers that Gavin has been trying to shove under my nose for almost as long as I've known him. I suppose… twenty years of separation or not, it's never easy to admit to failure."

"I can't say that I agree with that." Andy tilted his head at her. "Twenty years, Sharon. Chance after chance. I think you did your best. There's nothing you can do about making Jack meet you halfway. You tried, he didn't."

"I know. I think I just needed to wallow a little bit. It isn't the marriage, it's the idea of it. It has been my safety net for a very long time. I could avoid any serious, personal entanglements just by reminding myself and anyone else that I was a married woman. Almost all of my adult life there has been this… this thing that was hanging over my head, shielding me as much as it was holding me back. Now it isn't going to be there anymore, and while I know that's for the best… there are going to be some things that are going to become a lot more complicated."

"Complicated," he echoed. His brows drew together while he studied her. An introspective Sharon was a sight to behold. Her statement still had his brows lifting in interest. "For instance?"

"Andy." She smiled at him, voice softer. "I think you know full well for instance." They were dancing along a very fine line and they knew it.

"Hm." It was his turn to hum. He stood up and walked around the desk, aware that her gaze was tracking him. She didn't move, even when he turned her chair away from the desk to face him and leaned over it, his hands braced on the arm rests. "That might be something we need to actually discuss at some point. If you aren't good with complicated, it might be time to make things a lot more uncomplicated."

Her brow arched. There was a smile trying to curve it's way across her face. She tried to hold it back, but to no avail. "I see," she said quietly. "And if I happen to like complicated?"

"Well, I always said you were trouble," he smiled down at her.

"Me?" Her brows climbed toward her hair line, but her eyes were alight with amusement and silent laughter. "I seem to recall a certain nickname, what was that… hmm… let me see if I remember." Sharon tapped her finger tips together and tilted her head. "Oh yes, I've got it now… Rulebook Raydor?" She reached out and tugged lightly on his tie. "That was one of yours I believe. One among several now that I think about it. Don't think I don't know the witch was all you."

Andy groaned. "You would remember that now? That isn't the trouble I was talking about and you know it." Here was yet another side of her. She could be vulnerable, although she was loathe to admit it, but she could also be playful. A tease.

"Do I?" Green eyes sparkled up at him through thick lashes. "I'm quite sure I have no idea what you're talking about Lieutenant Flynn."

His hands gripped the arms of the chair harder, and he leaned even closer. "Let's try and jog your memory, shall we? Fact number one, Nicole's wedding. You wore the red dress and took that little wrap thing, instead of one of the jackets you normally wear. We'll come back to the heels. Number two, you can't seem to keep your hands to yourself anymore, not that I'm complaining, but I don't see Julio getting the same pat on the back for a job well done. Good thing too, I'm not sure he could handle it. Number three, the ballet." Andy arched a brow at her. "Do I need to say more about that? There was that dress, and can I just say you look really good in blue too, but I seem to remember a little event which took place at my car when I dropped you off…"

Her cheeks were flushing a light shade of pink. "I don't seem to remember you complaining during any of those three examples, quite the contrary in fact. I seem to remember a little something that happened at my door after you walked me up." Sharon grinned at him. "I am not the only one who is trouble."

"Oh, I excel at trouble, Captain. I could teach you a thing or two, I'm sure."

"Of that I have no doubt," she said, laughing quietly. There was a fondness in her gaze. "We are going to have to discuss this at some point, you are right about that. Unfortunately, right now I need to text Rusty and let him know that it is okay to return. Then he and I need to have a conversation in which I pretend to admonish him for his outburst while secretly encouraging his ability to speak up and protect himself. After that, there is a mound of paperwork that I am going to have to make a dent in, particularly the piles that are generated by one of my Lieutenants and his uncanny ability to tick off other divisions. Then I'm going to have to take Rusty home and clue him in on Gavin's visit and all of the reasons behind it. It's time Rusty was let in on some of the family issues if he's going to make an informed decision about whether or not to officially join it." Her shoulders slumped and she gave him a small, sad smile. "I do want to talk to you, I don't want you to take my silence as any indication that I don't… fully appreciate complicated. I do, quite a bit. I'm just not sure in all of this when I'm going to-"

"Sharon." Andy cut her off with a shake of his head. He took her hand and knelt in front of her. His knees hated it, but he managed not to grimace and ruin the gesture. "I'm not going anywhere. Not until you want me to. At dinner we said we'd be honest yeah? Well, honestly, I've got nothin' but time, babe. We aren't kids anymore, we don't need all the drama. You'll get it worked out and I'll be around. If you need me, you'll let me know. Until then…" His gaze went to her legs and wagged his brows at her. "I'm going to keep enjoying those heels."

It earned him the response he'd wanted. It got another laugh out of her. She grasped his face and leaned forward, kissing him quickly. "You know, you might just be too good to me."

"And here I was trying to figure out how I got so lucky." He took her hand and pressed his lips to her palm before he stood up and stepped away, lest they cross that line into the sort of trouble they'd both like to avoid.

She turned her chair back to the desk and lifted her pen again. "I wouldn't call it luck, Andy." Sharon glanced up at him again, but only for a moment. She forced her gaze back to her paperwork. "It is most definitely not luck."

"Good to know." He pulled open the door, but drew back. Rusty stood there, poised to knock. "Hey kid. She's all yours." Andy stepped out of the way to let him into the office, and pulled the door closed behind him.

Rusty trudged over and dropped into the chair recently vacated by Andy. "Alright." He threw up his hands and let them drop again. "Let me have it."

"Hmm." Sharon continued to work. "I'm not entirely sure what it is you're expecting me to let you have." She spared him only a momentary glance. "If you're referring to the discussion we need to have about civility, yet again, or that you should watch your tone with adults…" She shrugged. "Well, you obviously already know what I'm going to say, so why should I bother saying it?"

"I'm sorry, Sharon. She just… she really makes me crazy." He sighed. "I wasn't even doing anything. We were just talking. Everyone was just hanging out, and Gavin was telling stories, and we were laughing. I like his stories. Who knew that you used to be so… so…" At her look he cut that thought short and shrugged. "Everyone was just having fun. I don't even understand why she freaked out the way she did, except the fact that she is a complete spaz."

"Be that as it may, Rusty, Emma is still an adult." Sharon put the pen down and gave him her full attention. "She is still due the same level of civility that you would give any adult, within reason and due course, and while I understand that you were provoked, our situation is a bit shaky at the moment. We need to watch our step."

Rusty bit his lip. "You mean she could still make it so I had to leave." He shifted in his seat and looked away, blinking rapidly.

"She could, if she tried hard enough," Sharon said quietly. "I'm not sure how many more aces I have up my sleeve. There might come a day when there's nothing left that I can do to keep you where you are."

"I know." He had come to understand that a lot of people would have let him go by now, they would have given him up or sent him away, just to avoid all the trouble that came with keeping him in their home. "Sharon… should I… I mean, do you want me to apologize to Emma? Would that help?"

"Absolutely not." She shook her head. "Rusty… while I will caution you on your methods, I will never ask you to apologize for defending yourself. Do you understand?"

"Yeah." He rolled his eyes and smiled. "Yes. I understand."

"Good." She shifted in her seat, crossing her legs beneath her desk. "Now, while there are still things we need to talk about, this isn't the place for those discussions. I have a lot of work to do, and I think we both deserve to get out of here at a decent hour for once. So, I am going to work, and I want you to go and… bug the crap out of Provenza. He isn't working, therefore feel free to amuse yourself. Or you can do homework."

"I think homework might be safer," he muttered. Rusty stood up and moved toward the door. "Sharon, those things… does it have anything to do with why Gavin was really here today?"

"They do," She said. "But I don't want you to worry about them. I don't think it's anything that either of us should worry about right now. We'll decide that when we talk about it. Okay?"

"Okay." Sharon was always honest with him. Even when he didn't want her to be, or if it was hard or hurt, she didn't lie to him. She was probably the first person he could ever say that about. It was what made Doctor Joe's question so hard to answer. It was why he was still struggling with it, and maybe it was time to discuss it with Sharon. That would come later too.

Rusty let himself out of the office, and Sharon watched. She smiled when she heard his voice ringing through the murder room. "Lieutenant Provenza, I have a question…"