~Am I?~

BamDammmsters Prompt... I'm not a prude.

Our way of getting through the dreaded hiatus.

Am I? Ran through her brain all night. Sharon was sure she wasn't, but am I, kept repeating over and over in her head. Now, she found herself sitting in her office the next day with the one person Sharon could trust to tell her the honest truth. This man would hold nothing back that she was sure on. What she wasn't sure on was why it hurt so much? It just some off-handed comment made by a woman of the night that they had brought in for questioning. Am I? What if she was?

She could hear the lightness that hung on his voice when he spoke. "So, you're telling me that you, Darth Raydor the once most feared person in the force, the LA police force that is, is letting what some hooker said, get you?"

"Her name is Roberta Bamber. She goes by Bobbie Bamster." Sharon rolled her eyes, giving a shoulder shrug at the ridiculous name and the huge smile on the man's face that was sitting across from her.

Sharon picked up the teacup that was sitting on her desk, taking a sip as she glanced out her office window then in an inquisitive but concerned voice she asked, "Gavin, really though am I? Do you think she was right, that I am a prude?"

Her question made Gavin quickly sit forward as he asked her, "Sharon Raydor, are you starting to believe this nonsense?" He placed his chin in the palm of his hands with both his elbows on Sharon's desk, waiting for an answer. He got none; she was more interested in the grain pattern in the wood of her desk. Gavin continued to stare at her then finally said, "Honey you are no more a prude than I am and we all know that I'm nowhere near a prude. In fact, we are so far from prudesville as that little Miss Bamster out there." He pointed out the window to where Roberta or Bobbie, as she liked to be called, was sitting flirting with Julio. Gavin turned back to look at Sharon, noticing her eyes were on Lieutenant Flynn. There was a ghost of a smile gracing her lips and gleam in her eye. She looked happier than he had seen her in a long time. Clearing his throat to get her attention caused Sharon to jump a little at getting caught staring at the handsome man she was dating. When her cheeks turned a shade of pink, through a laugh he said, "Oh, girl I don't blame you at all, that man can wear a suit and gun well. No, you are not a prude, you are just being cautious. After all you've been through with..." He stopped, Gavin could tell from the look that was now on Sharon's face she was in no mood to talk of the POS of an ex-husband. "Really, Sharon don't let some hooker make you self-doubt yourself."

"It wasn't what that hook..." Sharon glared at Gavin as he smiled at her almost using his term for their witness. Correcting herself she started again, "it wasn't what the lady said. It was the way the team all made a collective gasp and turn to look at me. It was as if to see my reaction, to Roberta spewing out that I was a prude. That I probably had sex with the lights off and my eyes closed; if I even had sex at all at my age." Sharon stopped to let out a long loud sigh. "Yes, her language was much more colorful than mine, but I'm sure you get the picture."

Gavin could see Sharon was truly torn about what was said, so he decided to figure out her inner dilemma. "You asked me here why, Darling? Oh wait; can I have one guess first? Your boyfriend, Andy?"

Receiving a glare before Sharon finally told Gavin, "I did tell him I wanted to go slow and date the old fashioned way but it was mostly to see if we are compatible outside of the job. Andy and I work great together but you never know what could happen out of the office atmosphere." She looked up to see Gavin agree with her with a nod of his head. Picking up her tea again to feel the warmth run through her, Sharon then continued, her voice growing louder in her frustration, "just because I'm not comfortable talking about sex, or positions with my colleagues and subordinates, or having Andy reading fanfiction out-loud in a full Murder Room. All that does not mean I'm a prude or that I don't like sex!" Sharon set her teacup down with a bang, harder then she had planned. "In fact, I miss it," was said in a low whisper."

Gavin looked shocked at what she was telling him. "What in the world has been going on when I'm not here? I need to stop by more often." Joking aside he told her, "Sharon, the man cares a great deal about you. As you said, 'he'll wait for you,' to give you time to sort out what you're feeling." The lawyer reached out and covered her hand with his as he said seriously, "maybe you should be telling a certain Lieutenant all this and not me?"

"Why would I tell this to Provenza?" Sharon questioned him with a straight face.

It was Gavin turn to roll his eyes. "Very funny. Nice to see you still have your sense of humor, since you don't have a sex life. Just talk to Flynn or better yet don't talk at all, and you know what I mean." With a raised eyebrow he laughed. Gavin stood up and collected his things, "I've got to run. It is entirely up to you. Do what you feel is right for you, but trust me, love and making love, does feel right."

Sharon stood up and shook her head at the ridiculousness of his last words. As she opened her office door she smiled up at him saying, "Goodbye, Gavin and thank you for the great advice."

"Anytime, Sharon and all free of charge for my favorite Captain." As he passed behind Andy sitting at his desk Gavin looked back at her, holding his hand up to his ear he mouthed, call me.

Having just got off the phone with Andy, Sharon was sitting on the couch with her head leaned back staring at her ceiling, thinking. He had called her several times before she finally answered. He had called just to tell to say, "Sharon, you are not a prude. I don't mind taking slow. That's what I like most about you and makes what we special. You are not rushing into anything, that's how I know this is different, more meaningful and that this will work." The doorbell rang as Andy's words repeated in her head. Sharon set the pillow down that she had been clutching and slowly got off the couch. Not really wanting to move at all, so maybe it was a good thing that she had to because who knows how long she would have sat there moping. She looked through the peephole and then opened the door. "Delivery for a Sharon Raydor."

"That's me. Thank you," Sharon said as she took the huge vase of roses. Setting the beautiful flowers down on the table by the door, she stared at the sterling lavender roses for a long time. They really could be from only one person. It had been ages since she had received flowers, well that was until she started dating Andy. He seemed to like to send them to her randomly. It was never a special occasion. Sometimes the card would say, "Tulips because it's Tuesday or Wildflower Wednesday or Sunflowers for Sunday."

This time the card said, "Sharon, I love you just the way you are. Dinner your place 7:30." It wasn't as if Andy was asking her out on a date it was more him telling her he would be there and they would have dinner. She should be upset that he would just assume she'd accept but as she read the card again it made her smile. The 'I love you's' were a new thing for them. Actually, it was just this weekend when she felt she couldn't hold back any longer and finally told Andy during their lazy Sunday off. He had come over early to make Rusty and her, his famous, as Andy says Italian style French toast. He was sitting at the dining room table that had a vase of fresh Sunflowers in the middle, they had finished up eating breakfast and she was finishing up the dishes as he read the sports section of the newspaper. Sharon was wiping down the counter and took casual glances at him over her glasses. She wondered if it was silly of her to think he looked cute sitting at her table, leaning back reading with his glasses on, while he had his legs propped up on the chair next to him? She jumped a little, dropping the sponge when she heard the man that she had been staring at deep voice invade her thoughts, "Sharon, I can hear those gears turning in your head from over here. What are you thinking about?"

Focusing on Andy again, he was still reading the paper and hadn't moved. He just knew her that well. Without missing a beat Sharon said, "Just thinking how cute you are and how at home you seem."

That got his attention because he set the newspaper down, took his glasses off and turned to look at her. "Cute?"

"Oh, should wear your glasses more often, Andy." She threw the sponge into the sink and walked over to stand in front of him. Sharon took off her glasses, picked up his and tired them on. "Hmmm, almost the same prescription," she said turning her head to look around her condo, and then she slipped them back on him. "I was also thinking how much in love with you I am." She liked that shocked look her words put on Andy's face.

After a few seconds, he seemed to recover, giving her a crooked smile, causing the butterflies in her stomach to wake up. Putting both hands on her hips he tugged her closer saying, "and here I was thinking you were wondering whether the Dodgers won their last game." She slipped her arms around his neck as he pulled her between his legs. His voice rough with desire as he spoke again, "Oh and I am completely beyond a doubt in love with you, Sharon."

The distinct knock at her door brought her back to the here and now. She held onto the card in her hand as she turned her wrist to look at the time, it was exactly 7:30. Not bothering to look to see whom it was, she'd know that knock anywhere. Sharon had a huge smile on her face as she pulled the door open. She leaned in and tapped the corner of the small card on Andy's chest. "Thank you for reminding me what and who I am."

~The end~