The Conclusion…

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Chapter Ten: Terminal Two - "The One That I Added On At The End"

Sharon's preoccupation with curling the inflight magazine did not go unnoticed by Rusty Beck.

She had flicked through every channel, every magazine, and visited the bathroom three times in the last twenty minutes.

"Sharon are you afraid of flying? You seemed fine on the way over." That is of course, if fine meant staring out the window and barely speaking.

"No, not the flying. Sorry Rusty, it's not what you think. There is nothing to be concerned about. I'm just trying to think something through, and I think I've made it more complicated than it needs to be."

Rusty sat back in his seat and turned his eyes just enough so he could watch her without making it obvious. She was beginning to stare out the window with the same weary expression she had on the way over.

"When we get to the airport there's a shop I want to look at. Can you wait for Lieutenant Flynn by yourself while I go look around?"

Sharon turned her head, puzzled she asked, "A shop? What's so important about this shop?"

"I need something to read — you know, while I wait."

"While you wait, for what?" She asked leaning forward.

"I've barely been by myself for two minutes in the last two weeks, and Flynn is notorious for getting stuck in traffic. I just want my first few moments back in LA to myself. I don't have to be watched now, right?"

"Right," she replied, still confused she took her orange juice, and leant back in her chair. Not long now, she thought.

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He'd helped her collect their luggage and, just as he'd said he would, he left her to sit by herself in Terminal Two waiting for Andy. It was 9:55am. Maybe he was right, maybe Andy would get stuck in traffic, maybe she should have asked Rusty to get her something to read. She sat back in her chair, and looked around the airport again, scanning every face. Not seeing Andy or Rusty, she decided to look for that inflight magazine she had packed in her bag.

She swore she had put it in the back pocket, but between Rusty's packet of M&M's, and a travel box of tissues, she couldn't see it. Digging a little deeper she thought she'd gotten a hold of it, and pulling a little too hard, she grabbed the apparently open bag of M&M's along for the ride.

Damn it, she uttered to herself. Putting the magazine back on the chair she leaned down on the floor and began collecting the rogue chocolates. They were slippery, or maybe it was the slight shake in her hands that made collecting them all the more difficult.

"Would you like a little interruption?" he asked.

She felt herself freeze up. She thinks she dropped some M&M's again, but she can't be too sure.
Sharon sensed him move next to her. She heard him place something on the small table beside them, and before she turned, she heard him swear as he lowered himself to the ground beside her.

"Christ, when did the ground get so far away?" He asked, looking at her for the first time in two weeks.

She shook her head, trying and failing not to laugh. My hands were shaky. Shaky over Andy Flynn? she thought. She looked at him once more, and couldn't contain it anymore. Pushing her hand against his chest, she laughed at him.

"Miss me?" He asked.

Her laughter trickled and fell, and as she regained her composure she made herself a promise not to look away.

"Maybe," she replied.

He nodded, and slowly pushed himself off the floor. Once standing he offered her his hand.

"I brought tea."

She smiled and took his hand. He carefully helped her to her feet.

"No Rusty?" He asked, passing her a cup of tea as she took a seat.

"He said something about shopping."

"Ah."

They took sips of their tea at the same time. Looking at each other over their plastic cups.

"I missed you, I thought about you. About us, our friendship." He clarified.

She swallowed her tea and looked straight at him.

"You're a thought I have... maybe when I shouldn't," he added, escaping her gaze by taking another sip.

She put her cup down on the floor next to the abandoned M&M's — some of which had spread further away then she originally thought. Sitting up, she looked back at Andy.

"A thought? How long have I been a thought?" She asked.

Andy put his own cup down and tilted his head forward, somewhat slow to answer.

"You? Oh hmm, I don't know," he scratched the back of his head, still not looking at her, but instead turning towards the crowd."...About 20 years ago, I entertained a thought."

"20 years ago?!" She was thankful she'd put her cup down.

"Well I guess, I mean..."

"You didn't even like me twenty years ago," she replied, still a little stunned, and sort of amused — not that she'd let him know that.

"Then you can imagine how often I think of you now." Replying a little too quickly, smiling despite his own awkward humour.

He noticed her subtle attempts to loosen her shoulders, the way her chin would slightly jut out in order to reestablish some formality between them. He wasn't ready to lose her focus because of his own flippancy.

He took her hand in his. She accepted his hand easily, but her fingers still felt stiff beneath his touch. He looked up at her, but she was looking at their hands. He looked down again and gently massaged his thumb between her knuckles. Moving from one knuckle to the next, her hand began to unwind, stretching limp and lazy under his ministrations.

His eyes didn't leave their hands.

"I thought about you, now and then. Then about a year and a half ago, another thought. Then a year ago — then every other month. Then without warning, every day. I don't know how, but somewhere along the way you became more than a thought. I think you accidentally became part of my life."

"I'm glad your here," she replied.

"I'm happy to be here. It's hard not knowing where you are. I figure as long as I know... As long as you know that I'm here and—"

"I'll wait, in case you need me,"

She heard the words he said, she remembered the words he'd spoken.

She let go of his hands. While he stopped, confused, she watched scene upon scene of their dinners and outings play against the backdrop of his anxious gaze. The smiles as Rusty helped her cheat at Putt Putt. The arms that cradled her as she tentatively moved across the dance floor. The hands that helped her put her jacket on. The grateful eyes that lingered a little too long as they thanked her for a roof over his head. And the lips, that had gently touched her cheek, asking her to stay safe.

She decided to return the gesture, and moved a hand against his cheek. His face was still uncertain, and his eyes bore deep into hers as he tried to guess her next move. Her thumb traced across his cheekbone, and she felt the start of a smile under her touch. Closing her eyes she reached forward, and touched his lips with hers.

He was still, and was trying to understand what was happening. He felt his eyes close at some point, and he could sense her against him. Then as realisation took hold, he leaned forward and deepened the kiss. There was a tenderness, and tentativeness in their touch that came naturally. There was no need to rush, no need to push — no need to make feelings known. Time had made their thoughts for one another into actions, each consideration for the other a testament to their feelings. An affection gathered quietly, with kindness and patience.

As she pulled back from Andy, she began to hear the trickling sounds of the airport return to her senses. They opened their eyes and gazed warmly at each other.

Andy went to speak, but Sharon's hand was still on his cheek, and she moved her fingers over to gently touch his mouth.

Moving closer to him she spoke with quiet words, "Thank you for waiting."

As she moved her hand away from his mouth, he took her hand and brought it back to him. Gently kissing the tips of her fingers, she felt her shoulders loosen. Knowing where each other was, they were comfortable in the quiet.

"Guys, what happened to the M&M's?" Rusty asked, appearing with some shopping bags and a soda.

They turned to him simultaneously, quietly shuffling back from each other, and looking from Rusty to the floor.

Rusty looked between them both, and noted both of them had a glaze to their eyes he was only accustomed to seeing on people woken from a deep sleep. He didn't get it, but figured it might have something to do with their age. Sharon, noticing she still hadn't picked up the M&M's, tugged on Andy's sleeve for him to join her before Rusty asked any more questions.

"Hey Flynn, I got you a new hat." He pulled the Dodgers cap from his shopping bag and placed it unceremoniously on the Lieutenant's head.

Andy looked up only seeing the brim of the cap and little else. He pulled it off his head and took a closer look.

"Wow Rusty, thank you. I... uh, I'm not sure what to say," he replied.

"Yeah I gathered. Don't worry, you said it. Oh and Sharon, I got you something too."

Rusty opened the other bag and passed her a magazine.

"Baseball Digest?"

"I figured you might want something to read. And considering Ricky never took those bags of magazines with him, you might as well give up on the idea of getting rid of them and start your own collection."

"They're Andy's magazines,"

"His, yours, what's the difference? So can we go home now?"

Sharon looked from the magazine to Rusty, then back at Andy again.

"Sure kid. Sharon?"

"Right, ok, uh... thanks for the magazine," she said as she tucked it in her bag.

"No worries. As I said you're going to need it. The guy at the bookstore says traffic is terrible, you'll need something to read in the backseat."

"Back what?" She asked, as Andy took the bags from her.

"I called front seat while you were busy kissing Flynn. I guess you were too preoccupied to notice,"

"Oh my god," she said, dropping the bag of M&M's.

Sharon looked at Andy and he looked like a man who wanted to laugh but was terrified of the consequences. She was still trying to process everything, so he quickly grabbed her hand.

Beside them a man with a broom appeared. He gave them a look of concern, then began sweeping up the mess they'd left.

"Oh... Sorry," Rusty said, looking from the cleaner to Sharon.

Andy nodded at Rusty and asked him to lead the way to the exit. Rusty had begun to walk well ahead of them, so she took the opportunity to look at Andy.

He didn't look at her at first. He was too busy smiling about something. She tried looking ahead, but even looking in front of her she could still sense his light, mischievous expression.

She stopped and he turned towards her, not bothering to hide the grin this time. She tilted her head to the side, hinting without asking.

Leaning in he whispered, "You kissed me."

Oh, she thought. Dropping her head down, trying to shake the amusement away. When she looked back up he was still grinning, playful and disarming. Taking his hand again she nudged them on to continue after Rusty.

After a few minutes of walking quietly, hand in hand, she turned to him and leaned in close.

"It felt like it was time."

—THE END—

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A/N: I've had a lot of fun sharing this story with all of you, and I hope you've enjoyed the ride. If you are the kind of reader who re-reads fics you may stumble across the incidents where I've self-referenced dialog and actions from previous chapters (including the last line) — I'm a dork like that ;)

Thank you all again and again, for reading, reviewing, favouriting and following. It's very encouraging, and always fun to see what people pick up in my stories.

To season 4, and the continual development of our favourite pairing :)