Thank all of you guys for such kind and thoughtful reviews, it's been a pleasure to read and respond to them all. Plus I'm glad that you are enjoying the story so far, I'm definitely enjoying writing it! I think I have the rest of the story planned out with a few minor details left, but if you are all willing to I'd love for you to come along for the ride :) From here it's going to get a little tense…I have a thing for angst. But please enjoy!
Disclaimer: The characters and respective shows are not mine; I can only claim the story line and my own OC, and everything else I'm just borrowing.
Sharon was just finishing up the dishes when she heard a key turn in the lock of the front door. She smiled softly to herself as she rounded the corner to come face to face with her daughter; even though it had been a few days she had missed Avery terribly. She walked slowly towards the door, offering a hand to take some of the girl's belongings.
"Hello my Sweet Girl," Sharon greeted warmly, dipping her head to place a kiss on her daughter's forehead.
Avery smiled wide, "Hi Mama," then she looked around the condo curiously.
Already anticipating the girl's thoughts Sharon nudged her shoulder gently, giving her a reassuring smile. She knew who her daughter was looking for and quickly explained his absence.
"Rusty called a few minutes ago to say he was running late," the older woman shrugged, "something about a bad accident on the freeway."
Avery's face fell just a little, "I hope everyone was ok."
Sharon patted her shoulder gently, guiding them through the hallway and into the living room, dropping Avery's bag by the foot of the couch as they sat down. Andy had the option to take the last few days off and spend some desperately needed quality time with their daughter. It was his only request when she had asked to have the girl back in her house on New Year's Eve…who was she to begrudge him that?
She looked the young woman over carefully, trying to gauge what type of a mood she was and she seemed happy enough. She decided to continue on with her train of thought.
"How was your time with your Dad?" Sharon questioned carefully.
It seemed that Avery always had a protective streak when it came to her father; she wasn't always willing to share certain information with her mother. Sharon had to pick and choose what she wanted to ask about, one misstep and the girl would close herself off and dismiss the subject.
` Avery burrowed into the couch, reaching out for a pillow to pull onto her lap, hugging it to her chest. She then let out a tired sigh as she finally got settled, crossing her legs underneath her.
"It was fun," she started, "nice to have a few uninterrupted days with him, but it was pretty quiet for the most part."
Sharon hummed noncommittally, giving the ok to continue.
"We saw a movie one day and then relaxed around the house for the rest," she shrugged and then abruptly sat up as she remembered something.
"We also had dinner one night with Rusty at that new steakhouse a few blocks over," she recalled, "he said it had the best burgers in town."
The older woman rolled her eyes and snorted inelegantly, "Rusty says every burger he has is the best."
Avery giggled at her mother's dramatic reaction as she leaned into her personal space. She stretched her legs out along the couch and laid her head on Sharon's shoulder; unconsciously inhaling her subtle perfume. She relaxed a little more as she felt her mother's arms come around her shoulders and a gentle kiss pressed into the side of her temple.
"I missed you," she admitted in a small voice.
Sharon inhaled sharply at the honesty in the young girl's voice. Avery had always been attached and affectionate with her mother, but since she had entered her teens the displays of affection were becoming more rare. Sharon assumed it was the natural progression of things and accepted it, but that didn't mean she didn't cherish these moments when they happened to surprise her.
She held on a little tighter, "I missed you too Baby."
The first few years of Avery being a teen were tough to say the least. Her mother began to see the stubbornness and combativeness that she received from her father come more into light. When they argued, and they did often, Sharon couldn't help but see Andy in some moments. When Avery's eyebrows would come together in annoyance or when she would turn red in the face when she was frustrated. And especially in some of their worst fights when outbursts had been unavoidable. The passion for life Sharon could take in stride, but the attitude had been hard.
As she slowly stroked Avery's dark hair, she thought back to their life so long ago. It wasn't always so hard, her life with Andy that is. At the beginning of their marriage it was fantastic, she had never been more happy than she was with him. Of course they had their ups and downs, namely her transfer and his drinking problem. Although those were short lived…Andy eventually accepted her decision to move to FID, knowing it was what was best for Avery. At least at the end of every day she was guaranteed that one parent would come home safe and sound. And the drinking well…that had taken one ultimatum from Sharon. There were a few hiccups along the way but they always attempted to overcome them as a couple, never bringing work home with them.
Looking back now, Sharon could accept the blame where blame was due; she was as much at fault as Andy was for the separation. Things at work, the name-calling and the isolation, began to boil over and sneak into their home. It was subtle at first and then they began to feel the pressure, the resentment towards one another. And heaven forbid their divisions ever crossed paths in the work place, it was a throw down of cosmic proportions. She began to close her self off from him and inadvertently caused him to suffer; with nothing left to do he pulled away as well.
She had been so adamant about the separation and then having Andy sign the divorce papers that she didn't honestly think about the repercussions until it was too late. Six months after the separation and she found herself desperately missing Andy and the way he would hold her at night. She missed the way he would come up behind her after a long day at work and hold her until the anxiety would disappear. She missed the way he would softly snore into her ear while the slept entwined together. She missed her husband. By the time she realized what a terrible mistake she had made, Andy was avoiding her out of self-preservation. Although she never had the gall to actually go through with the divorce; somewhere in the back of her mind she hoped there was still a chance.
So when she was thrust into the role as head of Major Crimes, Sharon feared that things would only get worse between them. For a time Andy acted as the perfect Lieutenant, doing as she asked when she asked. She wasn't sure when the change occurred, but they went from colleagues to confidants to friends. He became her go to guy when she needed support and help in the work place and then a friend she could confide in over a simple dinner of coffee break. They were slowly finding their way back to one another…or at least she hoped they were.
Avery interrupted her thoughts by shifting slightly in her embrace. Eyes of hazel found her own of green, searching her face carefully. The young woman was also perceptive like her father and could read Sharon like a book when she wanted to. Right now she could see that her mother was mulling something over.
"You ok?" she inquired.
Sharon nodded and plastered a smile across her face, the best she could muster under the circumstances. Avery wasn't the only one who kept a tight leash on her emotions. She was just about to offer her daughter words of assurance when they heard a noise at the front door. They both turned in time, Avery looking around her mother, to see Rusty walk through the front door.
The young woman leapt up and rushed to the door to offer help to her brother, sliding his book bag off his shoulder. Sharon's smile became genuine when she saw Rusty gently pull Avery into his side for a hug. From the very beginning he had never shied away from his sister, in fact Avery was the only person he accepted physical affection from at first.
As Sharon joined them she heard her daughter ask Rusty if had missed her and then his low voice answering her immediately. She didn't quite catch the response but it wasn't the one Avery had been looking for as she shoved her brother gently.
"Ok children," Sharon began as she clasped her hands together in front of her.
When she knew she had both of her children's attention he laid out the plan of action for the evening. Rusty would shower and get comfy bringing out his dirty laundry and well as would Avery after she took a little time to unpack. After that was done they would decide on take out and watch the ball drop in Time Square, maybe a few boards games thrown in here and there.
When they nodded their heads in the affirmative, Sharon gestured to them with a "shooing" motion, encouraging them to do as she asked. She watched them both gather their belongings and turn to disappear to their rooms. She was about to cross the threshold into the kitchen when she felt a quick tap on her shoulder. Startled, she turned to face her daughter, eyes sparkling at ruffling her mother's feathers. When the older woman's gazed turned questioning, the younger woman shrugged quickly.
She pushed the manila envelope into Sharon's outstretched palm, already on her way back down the hallway and to her room.
"Its from Dad," she called over her shoulder, "he said you would know what to do with it."
Sharon felt a seed of dread settle into her stomach; all the paper work from Andy's last case had already been turned in and filed according to protocol before he took his vacation days. She grabbed he sweater off the back of the dinning table chair, tugging it on as she walked towards the balcony. The sliding glass door felt light compared to weight of the unaddressed envelope in her hand.
She settled on the deck chair, pulling her sweater tighter around her lithe frame to ward off the crisp December air. She had no idea what was in the envelope and that scared her more than anything.
She felt as if she sat there for hours, but knew it couldn't have been more than minutes. When she couldn't put it off any longer she gently ran the tip of her fingernail under the edge of the envelope, breaking the seal and causing the flap to spring open. As she reached into it and grasped the solitary paper, she noticed her hands were shaking terribly. As her eyes began to scan the document what she read made her heart sink.
Oh no.