Return to Me

by Kadi

Rated T

Disclaimer: If only they were mine… Sadly, they are not. I'm only borrowing them for a time, I promise to return them!

Chapter 4 - Puzzle Pieces

"Jensen Monroe, age 34," Sanchez dropped the file on his desk and then sank into his chair. "Got mad at his girlfriend, decided to carve her up."

"Just folded, three minutes into the interview," Sykes shook her head as she sat down. "We're taking it as a confession. Hobbs is going to put it before the Special Circs committee and send him for a psych evaluation. She doesn't know if she wants to try him or put him in a mental institution for the rest of his life."

"The guy was certainly not there," Tao observed.

"Ah, come on, Mike." Provenza smirked. "There's always a good reason to kill your girlfriend," and because he was being sarcastic, he rolled his eyes.

"That explains why you don't have one." Flynn shook his head. "Hell of a thing, I might be with Hobbs on this one. Nailing a dirtbag is one thing, but the kid had issues. Girlfriend wouldn't stop talking during the game? Breaking out your hunting knife is a bit extreme. Just send her to the store for more chips, that usually works."

"Be that as it may, we have the confession," Sharon folded her arms in front of her body. "We'll leave it up to the DA's office for now. In the meantime—" She paused when she realized what Andy had said. She cut her eyes at him and pursed her lips, just for a moment and then continued. They would have a talk about that later. She had made more than one late evening run to the grocery for him. From the corner of her eye, she saw him fighting a grin while she directed everyone to wrap up their reports and get them turned in.

After Sharon retreated back into her office, the team settled in to finish their case reports. Andy folded himself behind his desk. He pulled up the barely started case report, but turned his attention instead to the messages that had come in throughout the day from Donald Thompson's parole officer. It had only been a week since the man was released from prison. Andy was keeping tabs on him, although he didn't exactly want Sharon to know that he was keeping tabs on the man. He'd made inquiries to the parole officer, just to make sure that the man had checked into the halfway house he was assigned to on time, and that he was following his parole ordered routine. If there were any deviations, Andy wanted to know about it.

So far Thompson seemed to be staying out of trouble and doing what was expected of him. It had only been a week. Andy wasn't anywhere near ready to relax his guard. While he was wrapped up in composing his response to the parole officer, he didn't notice his partner approaching his desk. Not until a stack of papers were dropped on his desk, beside his elbow.

"These were faxed over for you," Provenza was scowling at him. "Want to tell me what all this is? I thought we decided, actually, I thought The Captain decided that we would give Donald Thompson his privacy unless any actual threats were received?" Following the briefing they received from Elliot down in FID, he and Flynn had sat down with the Captain to discuss the situation. She was adamant that it was a non-issue. A decade was a long time. They couldn't police people for things they might do, especially without any evidence. She suggested, quite strenuously, that they let the situation ride. As far as Provenza was concerned, if she didn't want to pursue it, they had plenty enough to do without adding a case to their load. Besides, she was right. The man's threats a decade before were vague, and there had been none since. There was nothing that they could do. His partner didn't seem to be on board with that, if the check-in sheet from the halfway house that the parole officer had faxed over to them was any indication.

Andy glanced at them, then grabbed the papers and began flipping through them. "Since when have either of us ever blindly followed orders before?" He shrugged. "I thought it was worth looking into. Something about the guy bugs me." Andy looked up at his partner and arched a brow at him. "Unless you want to end up with another Weller situation on our hands? She may not think its an issue, but Rusty didn't think his was either. Look, the guy isn't making threats now, but he did. Who knows what the scumbag thought up while he was locked away, and he was a cop." Andy pointed out the truly obvious. "He would know that we wouldn't move on him without evidence of an actual threat. He could be biding his time."

"If he's not," Provenza bent forward, let his voice drop to a low hiss. "Then you're wasting your time and the Parole Officer's because of some screwed up idea in your head that you actually like—"

Andy's frown deepened to a scowl. "Yeah, I happen to like her," he shot back, attempting to keep the conversation quiet despite his rising annoyance. "She's a good cop and she's had our back. She's also a friend. Friends look out for each other," he paused for a moment, tilted his head. His dark eyes flashed with both anger and irritation. "Or maybe you've forgotten that."

The older man leaned back, surprised by that pot shot. "Now you listen here," he pointed a finger at him. "Just because I'm not running all over town looking like some kind of idiot with a schoolboy crush does not mean—"

"Aren't you?" Now Flynn smirked. He knew of one good way to get his partner off his case, preferably before he really pissed him off. "You're suddenly pretty damned interested in the rules. Oh, and let's not forget all the other little ways you've become helpful lately. Hey Rusty, let's grab a burger. Hey Rusty, let's go see your mom. Oh Rusty, why don't we go to a movie." He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. "Whose got the crush here? At least I'm looking out for her and not cozying up to her kid."

"I—" His jaw clamped shut and his cheeks went ruddy. Provenza sniffed at him. "You've lost your damned mind." He turned on his heel to return to his desk. "Fine, you wan't to be an idiot. Go right ahead. I'm not going down with you on this one. This time, you are on your own!"

"Uh huh." He continued to grin. "Whatever you say. I think the old man protests too much!" Andy knew how far he could needle him, however, and stopped just shy of pointing out that he'd always known his partner liked them younger, he just never realized he had a thing for brunettes.

Still chuckling, Andy got back to work. He filed the information on Thompson away for now. He would review it again later. Since he still had a case report to write and file, he got started on that instead.

He'd made it half way through the report when a hurricane blew through the Murder Room. It came in the shape of Jackson Raydor. He stalked through the room, eyes dark and a scowl on his face. They hardly had time to register surprise at his having returned before he was pushing through the Captain's closed office door. More than that, he slammed it closed behind him.

It rattled the walls of the Murder Room, and Sykes who hadn't noticed his arrival jumped in her seat. She looked up and around, eyes wide. Already they could hear raised voices, or rather, Jack's raised voice, coming from inside the office.

Flynn and Provenza looked at one another. Whatever else they might think about the Captain's personal life, they recognized trouble when they saw it. Both of them were on their feet in the next second and striding to the office. Flynn, whose desk was positioned just outside, beat him to it. He pushed the door open and held it while Provenza slid into the room ahead of him.

While the elder Lieutenant moved up alongside the irate husband, to take position in front of the desk, Andy let his instincts pull him around to the side, nearer to Sharon. He folded his arms over his chest and scowled darkly.

"…you cannot be seriously considering this," Jackson was shouting at her. He slapped the packet of papers on the desk in front of her. "Thirty years, Sharon. You're going to throw thirty years out in the garbage, just like that? Without even a phone call? I had to hear about it from a processor? You've done a lot of cold damned things during our marriage, but this one, let me tell you… this one just about takes the cake. What the hell are you even thinking. Are you even thinking? Do you have any idea—"

She was letting him have his say, get it off his chest. Jack's temper had always come on swift and strong and usually burned itself out quickly. While he yelled, she leaned back in her seat and folded her hands in her lap. She regarded him, head tilted and a brow raised. When her Lieutenants stepped into the office, obviously beckoned by the state of her husband's arrival, she just shrugged at them.

"Thirty-three," Sharon said quietly. She shifted in her seat, growing more comfortable and folded her arms over her chest while crossing her legs. "It's been thirty-three years, Jack, last month as a matter of fact. May twenty-first. We had a lovely spring wedding, or have you forgotten?" Her lashes fluttered slightly and she gave him the serene smile that always set his teeth on edge. If he was going to accuse her of being cold, she would give him cold. "I have always found it odd that you would protest ending this marriage so much when you're the one who walked out on it. Hm. I suppose people can be unpredictable," she drawled.

Where he stood, frustration rippled through him. Jack leaned forward, hands braced against the chairs in front of her desk. "Well, who could stand being marri—"

"I would choose my next words a little more carefully if I were you," Provenza stated, interrupting him. He slanted a look at the man. His eyes had narrowed. From what he gathered, she had finally decided to be rid of the deadbeat. Good for her! It was a long time in coming as far as he was concerned. How she stood being married to the man this long was a mystery to him, but god only knew that the woman was stubborn.

"Yeah," Andy was fair to brimming with barely contained energy himself. "We might decide the Captain is feeling a little threatened. Hate to see you end up in holding overnight… over a misunderstanding. Guys down there don't much care for lawyers, if you get my drift."

Sharon cut her eyes toward him, gave a barely there shake of her head. She did not need him to fight this battle for her. This was hers, she had started it, and she would see it through. "Jack, I do apologize if your ego has been bruised. The fact remains, the papers have been filed. You may contest or not, it is your choice, but this divorce is happening. We've been separated for over twenty years, and Gavin assures me there is nothing that you can do to stop this." She leaned forward then and let her hands drop to rest, clasped together, atop her desk. "Our finances are long since untangled. You have your properties and I have mine. The children are grown. It's really very simple."

"Simple?" Jack squinted at her. "How can you call ending a marriage simple?" He shook his head at her. "I thought we said this would be temporary?"

She laughed. She really wished that she could have contained it, but Sharon chuckled quietly at him. "Twenty years ago when we separated yes, it was meant to be temporary. Jack, how can you ask me that? Leaving was your choice, not mine. It has always been your decision to run rather than stay and work things out. Now I can save you the time of having to write yet another letter full of empty and pathetic promises. Now," she pushed the papers he'd tossed on her desk back toward him. "If you have any questions, you can direct them to my attorney. I'm finished discussing this." Sharon lifted her pen again and turned her attention back to the paperwork she was attempting to complete when he barged into her office. "Lieutenants, Mr. Raydor was just leaving, you'll see that he finds his way out?"

It was a dismissal. Provenza moved to the door and pushed it open. "You heard her," he said. "We can show you out, or I can ask Detective Sanchez to do it." Part of him was really hoping for the second option. From where he sat, he saw Julio's head perk up. He wasn't the only one.

Jack pushed away from the desk. "I can find my way out," he stated. "We're not done talking about this, Sharon. Don't think you can just shut me down. These guys won't be around next time to give you an out."

It was on the tip of his tongue to say, wanna bet? Instead, Andy's eyes narrowed. He stood a bit taller and took just a step forward. After Jack left, he looked down at her. Provenza was still hovering in the door. Andy tilted his head at her. "Go ahead," he told his partner. "I'll be right there. Got a question for the Captain."

Provenza rolled his eyes. "Yes, of course you do." He walked out and let the door close behind him, all the while muttering, "Great, now she's going to be divorced and he's really going to be a pain in my ass."

Sharon sighed quietly, slumping a bit in her seat once they were gone. "It's fine," she said. "I had a feeling that was going to happen when he was served. I'd rather it here than at home." It cost her to say that too, the little scene he'd made was embarrassing. She hated that any of her team had seen it, although it wasn't the first time they'd seen her butt heads with Jack. Still, at least here, there was no Rusty to witness it.

"It's okay to not be fine every now and then, Sharon." Andy stepped toward her and leaned over, hands braced against the side of her desk. "Look, we all know the guy is bad news. So yeah, better it here than at home. Did you remember to call the super, make sure he knows not to give Jack a copy of the new key?" She'd had the locks changed during the letter writing incident when Rusty was under increased security. An alarm had also been installed.

"I did." She smiled at him. "I was a good girl, Lieutenant Flynn, I promise."

There was a sadness in her gaze that belied her flippancy and it made him wish that he could hold her. This wasn't the place for that, however, on that they were agreed. "Good. I have an idea, why don't you call Rusty. Tell him to pack an overnight bag. Both of you can stay at my place tonight, it's big enough." The kid knew about them, and he knew to keep his mouth closed about it. If there was one thing that Rusty was good at, it was privacy and keeping secrets. "Give Jack a little more time to cool off, if he does show up at your place later, neither one of you will be there to have to put up with him. He won't be able to get in, and eventually… he'll go away." Andy leaned closer to her and grinned. "Or he'll make enough noise that the neighbors will call the cops on him. Either way, problem solved."

Her face softened. Her eyes gleamed with warmth and affection. "I think we'll take you up on that," she said, voice hitching, growing thick with emotion. "If Rusty wants to. He may choose to make his own plans."

"If he does," Andy shrugged. "His loss, I'm cooking." He raised up and stepped back from the desk. "I better get back out there before Provenza sends someone after me. Okay?"

"Hm." She nodded at him. "I am." She tapped the end of her pen against the top of her desk. "Thank you, Andy."

He shrugged as he walked toward the door. "Lady, taking care of you is kind of what I do." Andy tossed a wink and a crooked grin at her before he slipped back through the door, closing it behind him.

Sharon slumped back in her chair. She exhaled quietly. Her heart fluttered. She was filled with warmth. "Yes it is," she murmured. He did it very well, too. Sharon's eyes closed and she hummed quietly. Her heart ached a bit. Despite the warmth and love which flooded her at Andy's words, there was still the bitterness to get through with Jack. It was not going to be a pleasant process. He seemed to have no problem leaving her, but letting her go was another matter. Sharon looked up when moisture pooled in her eyes. She drew a long, deep breath and let it out slowly. She would seek her refuge with Andy tonight. Later, she would call Gavin. The sooner this marriage ended, the better.