Hey there!

This story consists of 3 parts. Here's the first one!

Enjoy!

The condo was dark when she walked in. It was strange as Andy had left the PAB at least an hour ago to get a head start on dinner, yet there was no sight of him. They didn't often get the chance to cook and usually ended up picking up something on the way home or ordering in. However, they tried to have homemade dinner as often as they could manage.

Sharon switched on the lights, got rid of her shoes and dropped her purse on the couch. It was only now that she noticed that the door to the balcony was ajar. It wasn't unusual for him to be out there. She often found him sitting outside reading or napping. This time, however, she had expected to find him in the kitchen, preparing his infamous grilled chicken. Instead the chicken sat on the kitchen counter, uncooked. Next to it a paper bag of equally uncooked potatoes.

Something was off.

She slid open the balcony door and stepped into the night. It was somewhat cold for mid August. She'd need a sweater if she was going to stay out here for longer.

"Hi." She said, her voice soft and quiet.

It was only now that he noticed her presence. "Oh... Hi. I didn't hear you come home."

Neither had he noticed that she had switched on the lights in the living room. It was rather strange. He usually was very attentive, very vigilant, just like she herself was. They were both cops after all. Being observant was part of their nature.

"I thought you wanted to make dinner?" It was not a reproach. She was just trying to figure out what was going on. Tentatively and slowly, without pushing him.

"Oh shit! I completely forgot... Sorry."

"That's ok. We'll order something in and save the chicken for tomorrow."

He nodded and for a moment there was silence. He knew she was waiting for him to share what had him sit out here all lost in thought. She would ask him eventually but she always liked to give him the opportunity to be the one to bring it up first. He appreciated that.

"Danny called," he said.

It was generally good news when his son called. It didn't happen all too often, so when it did Andy was usually delighted about it, ecstatic really. Not this time though. "He won't make it to the ceremony."

"Oh." Sharon honestly had not expected that. Andy and Daniel still had many things to sort out but their relationship had gotten better in the past two years. They hadn't exactly reconnected but they were getting there. At least that's what she had thought.

"He said he has some important work thing."

Sharon sat down on the porch swing next to him, her hand reaching for his.

"We both know that's just an excuse." Andy continued.

"I'm sorry." She whispered as she leaned against his side, her chin came to rest on his shoulder.

"Me too."

"Maybe you should go see him, talk to him in person."

"I don't want to corner him ... or pressure him into anything. It's fine. He doesn't wanna come. That's ok. I have to respect his choice."

"You know... we can always postpone the wedding. It will give you some more time to talk to Daniel, to make ..."

"No." He cut her off, sounding definite, determined. "Absolutely not! I have done everything I can to show him that I'm a different person now, that I have been for a long time. I admitted I made mistakes, big mistakes. I apologized. Over and over again. There is nothing more that I can do. This wedding will happen exactly as planned, whether he'll be there or not."

It hurt that his own son did not want to be part of this wedding, it hurt that he still mistrusted him, that he still didn't seem to believe he has changed. But Andy was not going to put his life on hold just because Danny still was unwilling to give him a second chance. He was not going to postpone this wedding; he was not willing to wait any longer to marry Sharon. He was not in his twenties anymore, he wasn't in his forties either, he had no time to lose.

"Are you absolutely certain? I would understand it if you wanted to postpone. Really. I know I would if any of my kids couldn't attend."

"Danny does not want to be there. That's different. Your kids adore you, they wouldn't miss your wedding for the world."

"Daniel loves you just as much, you know that. He's just incredibly stubborn. Even more so than you are. And believe me, that's quite an achievement."

Andy snort-laughed. She always managed to get him to crack a smile, no matter how down he felt or how foul his mood was. It was one of the many things he loved about her. "My son the over-achiever." He chuckled once more before he turned to look at her. "But seriously Sharon. I don't want to wait." He squeezed her hand, tracing the ring he had slid onto her finger a few months ago. "I'm done postponing things. I'm too damn old for that. We both are."

"Speak for yourself." She teased, knowing very well what he meant. They had wasted so many years with partners that were wrong for them. Afterwards they had spent an even longer time alone, perfectly content to be by themselves, not needing nor wanting anyone by their side permanently. But then they had found each other. They had become friends and then, seemingly out of nowhere, they had fallen in love. Slowly, almost inconspicuously. And suddenly they had felt incomplete without the other. That's what he had told her when he had proposed to her, that he did not feel like himself without her. That he loved her and that he wanted to be her husband, her friend, her confidant. She had not at all realized how much she had wanted all of this too until the moment he had sunk down on one knee in front of her. He had asked her to spend the rest of her life with him. She had been completely overwhelmed. Mainly in a good way. She was terrified too, her experience had thought her to be, but she knew she had to just have faith in him and to trust him. Andy was more than worth it. So she had said yes, knowing that this was what she wanted too, despite being scared. And now she wanted the rest of her life to start as soon as possible. So, no, she did not actually want to postpone the wedding but she would, for Andy's children, like she would for her own.

"I get it Andy, I do. I don't want to postpone it either but I also want all of our kids to be there. I want you to look back on this day and remember being surrounded by your family."

"I will be. We'll both be surrounded by our families. Yes, mine might be incomplete but it won't change how special that day will be." He turned his head to press a kiss into her hair.

"Okay." She sighed, not happy with the solution but ready to let it go. For now at least.

"Where do you wanna order?" He then asked, changing the subject. He did not want to talk about it any longer, it would just upset them both.

"Luigi's."

"Penne Napolitana?"

She nodded into his shoulder. "With an extra serving of parmesan and an insalata mista."

He reached for the phone on the small table next to him and ordered the food. He made sure to get Sharon's favorite desert as well. Ever since he had been forced to change his diet to a healthier one she had stopped ordering dessert too. And while he appreciated her support he did not want her to abstain from something as delicious as Italian lemon cake rolls. It was enough that he had to suffer.

Usually she complained when he went ahead and ordered her something sweet, tonight though she just pressed a kiss to his lips and smiled. Yes, she really did love him.

TBC

Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think :)

Thanks for all your wonderful messages! I have not given up on "Occasionally". It's all the weather's fault xD The heat is making me lazy ;) In my head though I have already another chapter written. And I'm also working on a pre MC, pre The Closer Shandy fanfic.