They Knew it Would Happen
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Major Crimes; James Duff, et al, has that lovely distinction.
A/N: They knew it would happen sooner or later. Dating a co-worker always meant the lines would blur; they'd cross them at least once. The main issue would be how they handled it afterwards.
A/N2: Enjoy! Please leave a review if y'all's feel so inclined. They are ever so lovely to read and much appreciated. #TodayIsLife
~~~~~PT~~~~~
They knew it would happen sooner or later. Dating a co-worker always meant the lines would blur; they'd cross them at least once.
It was an innocent enough comment in the Murder Room. He was defending a friend, a colleague, to his boss but he sounded like the hot-headed Lieutenant of old. Realizing this, she'd lowered her voice and answered him softly; explained to him why both his colleague's actions and his own reaction were out of line. They both knew she sounded like the Captain she once was. Back in the day when she ran FID and he took every opportunity he found to yell at her.
It was a bad day all around. The difficult case had only just been closed. The Captain was going over the actions of her team in general and pointing out some specific individuals in regards to actions she thought problematic. The idea was to address everything before Taylor caught wind of it and turned it into an unnecessary order.
After the dress-down of her team, she had planned to just tell them to go home, to complete their after-action reports in the morning. But then the comment came out of his mouth before he could stop it and she knew she had to immediately respond. Her entire team was there and so she let her own words come out of her mouth much as he had just done.
The storm outside had been brewing since the morning. It didn't storm badly in Los Angeles often but the meteorologists were all saying this one would be memorable. That was another reason she had wanted to let the team go home. As their Captain, she was responsible for their safety. As their friend, she felt it in her heart whenever one of them was hurt, physically or emotionally.
Now, as the first thunder rolled, Sharon and Andy stood across from one another, eyes locked, antagonistic stances a reminder of the past, when they were adversaries. Now though, they were colleagues, friends and romantic partners.
They knew this day would come eventually.
He felt the heat rise, knew his face was turning from pink to red. Her face became expressionless. The team watched closely. He defended himself; she responded as she should. The Captain and her Lieutenant knew each other's buttons from days of old; always it was just professional buttons that were pushed on both sides. The team worried, now that they were dating, that it would get personal.
The thunder rolled again; lightning flashed. The sudden spark glinted in both their eyes as they remained locked on one another.
The elder Lieutenant, her second-in-command, his best friend, sought to put an end to the argument before it worsened. He coughed then spoke up softly, demanding their attention. When he didn't get a reaction from either, his voice rose slightly, telling each of them to calm the hell down before they screwed everything up.
Another blast of thunder accentuated his words. She sighed just as he did. Provenza told the rest of the team to start their after-action reports while they gawked. He wanted them done quickly before the weather worsened. As each sat at their desk, typing as fast as they could, Provenza suggested they finish arguing inside her office where they'd have more privacy.
Flynn, calmer now, sighed and shook his head. An apology tumbled out of his mouth as he looked at Raydor. They were at work; she was his boss though he answered directly to his partner. He apologized for losing his temper, for shouting at her, and for stepping in where he didn't belong. She hummed, accepted his apology and explained that she understood why he interfered but that he had done so inappropriately.
The thunder clapped again, louder this time. Lightning flashed and she saw the anger returning to his eyes, the flush back along his neck and in his cheeks. Provenza jumped in to soften the blow to his friend. He explained, in a manner better understood between males who had been friends for decades, what he thought their Captain meant. With a low groan, he calmed down once more.
Nodding at each of them, Raydor urged them all to finish their after-action reports as quickly as possible because the weather would make travel home difficult and dangerous. Turning towards her office, she sighed again as the thunder rolled across the sky with a long boom.
They knew this would happen eventually.
As the wind blew the rain against the windows, each member of the team worked in silence. Their fingers quickly moved over their keyboards in a rush to finish their reports and head home before the worst of the storm arrived.
Once completed, they each handed their report to Provenza who scanned them quickly, handed them to Flynn to bring to their Captain and gave the order to get their asses safely home. After telling Flynn to take it easy on Raydor, Provenza grabbed his jacket and hat and headed for the elevators.
Peeking inside Sharon's office, Andy saw her looking out the window, humming softly as the rain pelted against the glass. Announcing his entrance, he handed her the pile of paperwork and hesitantly asked if they were still having dinner at her place. Her first instinct was to put it off for another day; however, she knew what putting things off meant for a relationship and so she sighed and shook her head in the affirmative.
Quickly reading the reports, she signed and placed them in a folder in her desk drawer. Standing, she grabbed her belongings and agreed to meet him in her garage.
He ended up walking with her to the elevators and they quietly rode down together. Standing by their cars, he apologized again and this time it felt and sounded more truthful than the original had. She again accepted and left it at that; there was no reason to continue the discussion or argument; they'd each made their points in the Murder Room.
He was itching to drive quickly, not to get to her place that much faster but rather to release the last of his anger, his adrenaline, before they went back to being just a couple. She watched him move past her, skid slightly on a puddle, and easily correct himself. As her hands clenched the steering wheel, she watched him skid again. This time, he over-corrected and skid once more before setting his car correctly and slowing down.
The rain was coming down in buckets. Visibility was decreasing. Streets were beginning to flood in the low-lying areas. As the thunder boomed again, rolling slowly across the sky, she thought of calling him, asking him to drive safer, to be more careful. Then she thought of how easily that might escalate into another argument and changed her mind.
They made it safely to her garage and went upstairs in relative silence. As they entered her condo, he suggested ordering take-out as neither seemed in the mood to cook. Nodding, she agreed and made her way to the kitchen for the menus. After they decided on Chinese, she offered to make coffee while they waited.
As it brewed, they stood there watching one another. Finally, she reached her hand out to him. Taking it, he pulled her into an embrace.
They knew it would happen one day.
Kissing her temple, he whispered that they had made it. She knew they'd discussed this very possibility many times before. They'd analyzed all the possible ways it could go down; had even covered the exact reactions they'd had that day. Kissing his neck, she hummed and whispered she was glad they made it through without any battle scars. Knowing she was remembering Jack, he held her tighter.
They weren't sure if they'd stood there a long time or if the food was delivered faster than usual, but they reluctantly pulled apart at the sound of the doorbell.
After the food had been set out and she thought they'd sit down to eat, he took her hand and led her out of the dining room. Putting soft music on in the living room, he pulled her close to him and they began slowly swaying together. There were soft murmurs and sighs as they renewed their bond as romantic partners with kisses, touches and whispered words.
Moving over to the balcony doors as they kissed, he leaned her up against the cold glass and whispered they had argued during the storm so they should make up during it also.
The heat from his body against hers, the cold of her back against the glass, the sound of the wind blowing the rain onto the door, and the wetness she felt at her core all swirled together, heightening her senses as he moved his hands and lips over her.
Knowing Rusty was spending time with Gus, that the older boy wouldn't let her son travel home in the storm, they allowed themselves to get lost in one another right there in her living room.
Hands reached for zippers as tongues danced around each other. One by one, articles of clothing and shoes made their way to the floor, carelessly discarded during their heated rush to make up while the thunder rolled and the lightning lit the darkened, angry sky.
Acknowledging their age, Andy whispered the floor would be better. Sharon's only response was a low groan at the temporary loss of him against her as he knelt to the floor. Before she could join him, his hands were on her thighs, his tongue on her nub, and excitement was coursing through her entire body. The heat of her arousal competed with the cold of the glass he still held her against.
As she shivered in orgasm, he helped her lower herself so she was on top of him. Wanting him inside her, she mounted him immediately, rising and falling in a steady rhythm in the hopes of reaching climax once more before he did.
His hands on her hips, he pushed up as she slid down, wanting to feel her walls contract around him. Once they did, he let himself loose inside her. Sighs, moans and groans filled the air.
Having worked up an appetite, they cleaned up, changed and went to eat at the dining table.
Smiling, they realized the storm had settled down to almost a complete stop. They had passed another test in their relationship: being the Captain and her Lieutenant at work yet being just Sharon and Andy at home; arguing at work yet discussing things then making love at home.
They knew this day would happen.
[The End]
A/N: Happy belated birthday to gingersnapped907 and Happy birthday to Lissianne
A/N: Thanks for reading!