Three Months Later

Andy sighed as he walked into the Murder Room, stopping behind his desk to drop his keys and wallet into the top drawer. Provenza looked up and raised an eyebrow, but Brenda walked in before he would make a complaint.

"That woman!" She growled, untying her pink trench coat as she walked behind Andy. She stopped by her desk and whipped around to face them.

"Chief?" Andy asked hesitantly.

"That new IA woman. She's absolutely…" She trailed off and growled again, her hands shoving down into her pockets. "She's been here two days and she's already poking her nose where it don't belong."

"New IA woman?" Provenza repeated. "What, did McAllister finally retire?"

"Yeah, he did. And he left us with this… infuriating…" She stopped again and unlocked her office door. "If she comes in here, make up some excuse." With that, her door and blinds closed.

Andy raised an eyebrow as he sat down and looked across the room at his partner. "Do you really think she's that bad?"

Provenza shrugged. "I haven't heard anything about a new officer, so who knows."

By mid-afternoon, rumors were swirling about the newbie. Whispers of "Ice Queen" and "Wicked Witch" filtered through the ranks of officers, finally reaching Major Crimes. Provenza laughed when he heard them and Gabriel rolled his eyes.

"I heard she gave six different officers sensitivity training today alone." Provenza shook his head and crossed his arms as he leaned back in his seat. "And as the head of IA, she can apparently do that. She's a coldhearted Ice Queen."

"Anyone in IA has to have a vendetta against cops. You don't become a professional tattle-tale for no reason," Andy added. He briefly thought of Sharon but quickly pushed the thoughts away; three months hadn't lessened his feelings. What kind of person didn't call and ignored a dinner invite?

"She's just a bitch. Reminds me of some of my ex-wives." Provenza grumbled quietly to himself for a moment before he grabbed his crossword off his desk. "As long as she stay the hell away from here."

"God, let's hope so," Andy agreed. "Anyone want coffee?" He pushed his chair back from his desk and stood up, glancing around to see a few nodding heads from the team.

He started toward the break room, pausing as he rounded the corner and saw someone ahead of him round the next one. A sense of familiarity rushed over him and he hurried forward, making it just in time to see Sharon step into the elevator. Several emotions slammed into him at once and he didn't move as he watched the floor numbers creep up toward IA's floor. It was all the confirmation he needed.

"Shit," he breathed out, setting his coffee mug on the edge of the drinking fountain as he pushed open the door to the stairs.

He took them two at a time and was out of breath by the time he reached the upper floor. He didn't pause for breath and followed the well-known path through the offices. He finally reached a door bearing no nameplate, but he knew it had to be Sharon's now that McAllister had retired. He knocked once and got no response, so he pushed the door open.

"What the—?" She stopped short when she looked up and saw who had entered, but Andy continued to her desk once the door was shut behind him.

"What the hell? Took the words right out of my mouth." He pressed his hands against her desk and looked at her, trying to ignore the sight of withheld tears and rapid movement of her chest.

"Andy…" She swallowed and shook her head, quickly standing up. Her chair flew back and hit the filing cabinet behind her.

"Don't 'Andy' me. It's been three months. You couldn't call? Text? Hell, even email?" His voice was filled with the emotions he had spent the better part of two months quashing.

"That's a two way street, you know," she spat back. "But now I understand why I didn't' hear from you. Why would you want to go out with a coldhearted bitch?" She shook her head and waved her hand toward her door. "Get out, Andy. I have work to do."

He stood in shocked silence, unsure how to process his words being thrown back at him like that. He felt his previous anger slip away like he was a deflated balloon. She was the opposite across the desk from him, her body rigid and her eyes almost emotionless behind her glasses. It contrasted against the tears still trying to overflow.

"Get out," she repeated.

"Sharon, I'm sorry. I had no idea it was you… I just… I'm sorry."

"No, it's clear what you think of people working in Internal Affairs. Now I really have work to do. Please leave." Her voice was cold and Andy knew he had really screwed up.

"I'm really sorry, Sharon. Come on, I know you. I know you're not like that. You're a warm-hearted, caring, amazing woman. I saw you with Emily, I saw you with Jack. God, I even saw you with that baby in Pennsylvania Station." His hands remained pressed against her desk as he watched her, his eyes pleading for her to understand. "I'm sorry."

"Please just go." Her voice softened and she refused to look at him.

"Let me take you out to dinner tonight. I owe you and I owe you an explanation. Please?" He lowered his voice as well, but kept his eyes trained on her. He was able to see when her shoulders sagged.

"Fine," she sighed. "Only because you owe me." She finally looked up at him, her eyes narrowed a little.

"What time are you done here?" He pushed forward, hoping she wouldn't change her mind.

"I'll be done by five," she answered shortly.

"Five, okay. I'll meet you up here at five." He silently prayed they wouldn't get a case, or that he would at least be able to disappear long enough to take her to dinner. He wouldn't' screw this up too. She nodded and he watched her for a moment longer before he left her office and retreated to the murder room.

Provenza jumped as soon as he walked into the room, eyes narrowed. "What the hell took so long? And where's the coffee?" Andy stared dumbly at his partner for a moment, brow furrowed in confusion. "Coffee. That's where you went, isn't it?"

"Oh, uh. Yeah. Issue with the coffee machine. Sorry." He shrugged halfheartedly as he made his way to his desk.

"No, the coffee machine was working just fine earlier," Buzz interjected and Andy's eyes fell shut for a moment.

"Flynn, get over here." His partner all but dragged him back toward the break room and looked at him expectantly, saying nothing more.

"What?" Andy finally asked, allowing his annoyance to show.

"What was that about? You say you're getting coffee and then you disappear for fifteen minutes? What happened?" He stared at him, arms crossing over his chest.

"I had to take care of something. Look, why is it any of your business?" He shook his head and tried to move around Provenza.

"Is it that damn woman again? It's been three months, Flynn, let her go. Move on. Look, let's go out tonight." Provenza raised an eyebrow, but Andy immediately shook his head.

"I have plans."

"Plans? You haven't had plans in months unless you're with your kids."

"Yeah, and? I have plans tonight." Andy huffed and successfully stepped around his partner.

"You're a pain in my ass," Provenza grumbled, following Andy back into the murder room.

Andy dodged his partner's questions about his plans the rest of the day and he was all too relieved when the clock struck five and they still had no case. Quickly excusing himself, he grabbed his things and retreated to the elevator, Provenza hot on his tail. Ignoring him, he stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for IA's floor.

"Where are you going?" Provenza demanded immediately.

"None of your business," Andy countered, trying to ignore his blossoming nerves. It was going about as well as it was with ignoring his partner.

"Your plans involve IA?" The older man paused for a moment and then suddenly moved in front of Andy. "Wait, didn't you say this woman you met worked with IA?"

Andy nodded hesitantly, his eyes focusing on his partner. "San Francisco PD," he answered.

Provenza was quiet for several moments and Andy started begging the elevator to move faster. "Shit! The Ice Queen is her! She's the Ice Queen! Damn it, Flynn! You can't date IA! You can't date her!"

Finally, the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Andy stepped out and shot a look at his partner. "Well, I am."