Everything We Are

by Kadi219

Raydor/Flynn - Third in a small series of stories. Follows "Everything She Does" & "Everything He Is". In life there are twists and turns. Many of them are unexpected, and even unlikely. There are those which are entirely unrealistic. It's how we approach the curves that life throws in our path that define us. With this family, it's no different. Rated M for content of later parts.

10. Chapter 10

Everything We Are - Chapter 10

by Kadi

Rated: M

Disclaimer: It's not my sandbox, I'm only visiting for a time.

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By nine in the morning, LAX was full of travelers. Gavin Baker pushed through the throng as he pulled the cart carrying his luggage behind him. His body ached all over, and he reflected that they just didn't make first class seats the way they used to. Of course, he could also consider that perhaps he wasn't as young as he used to be and flying all night wasn't as simple as it once was.

He thought that perhaps the only thing he liked about flying all night when he returned from abroad was that it made moving through customs that much easier. There was hardly anyone there at all at eight in the morning. Now, he just needed to get to his car and he could fall into bed for a few hours. Then he would begin making phone calls and letting all of his people know that he was back in the country.

He'd tell them how lovely Italy was this time of year, and talk about going to Paris on holiday next summer. It was the same every time, but without fail, he would find himself in Italy again. It was, quite simply, his favorite place to be.

Gavin checked his watch as he stepped into a small airport cafe. The first order of business before going anywhere was going to be filling up on caffeine. He needed that temporary jolt to get him back to his apartment. Particularly with traffic being what it was this time of morning. He stepped into line and checked messages on his phone as it moved, slowly, forward. After giving his order to the young barista, he moved to one of the high tables near the wall and sat while he contemplated which of his calls he would return first.

The flash of a familiar dark head on the television in the corner caught his eye, however. Gavin pushed his glasses up his nose and glanced at it, wondering what sort of trouble Major Crimes had gotten themselves into while he was away. Something suitably gruesome if he knew that lot and his darling Sharon. Images coming across the screen at the familiar sight of Sharon's house, shot from the end of the block if he was any judge of distance, puzzled him enough that Gavin stood and walked over to increase the volume on the television.

"…And as we update ongoing stories at the top of the hour," the caster was explaining. "LA-News was pleased to begin reporting this morning on the happy conclusion to yesterday's kidnapping case involving officers from the LAPD's elite Major Crimes Division. As we reported yesterday, an Amber Alert was issued at five PM when the son of Captain Sharon Raydor was reported missing. Reports were sketchy at first, but we learned throughout the course of the evening that two-year-old Ian Flynn, who is also the son of LAPD Lieutenant Andrew Flynn, was taken from his home by this man, whose identity was released to us as Daniel Dunn." A picture accompanied the report. "According to police reports, Mr. Dunn apparently entered the Captain's home, assaulting her and kidnapping her two-year-old son. This began a manhunt which is still ongoing as police continue to search for Mr. Dunn. While this case continues to be ongoing, we were pleased to learn early this morning that Ian Flynn has been reunited with his parents. That reunion took place late last night at St. Catherine's Medical center. Assistant Chief of Police Russell Taylor issued a statement this morning indicating that the child was found wandering alone and apparently abandoned by his abductor yesterday evening in Venice Beach. The child was taken to St. Catherine's where he was treated for minor injuries and released to his parents. While attempts to reach the Captain and Lieutenant have been unsuccessful at this point, the LAPD has released a statement from the pair."

The screen changed and a text of the message was displayed, while the reporter began to read. "We are grateful to everyone for their thoughts and prayers in this matter. To our colleagues and those involved in the safe and timely return of our son, we extend our heartfelt thanks. We would like to ask that members of the press continue to respect our privacy as our family recovers from this trying ordeal." The newscaster's face appeared on screen again. "The statement further indicated that any subsequent updates and comments would be released through the press office at the LAPD. As I stated previously, Daniel Dunn remains at large at this time. The LAPD is asking that people continue to call in with tips and sightings, but they caution people that he is armed and considered dangerous, and is not to be approached. In other news…"

Gavin turned away and was already dialing his phone. Sharon's was going directly to voicemail and he supposed he shouldn't be surprised by that. Flynn wasn't answering either, and no one was picking up on the house phone. He scowled darkly as he tucked his phone away and gathered his things. He picked up the drink which had been left at his table and strode purposefully, and a bit furiously, away from the cafe. No one had called him. Of all the nerve… He would be having words with someone about that.

The lawyer retrieved his car from longterm parking and maneuvered it away from the airport. Traffic was as he expected it to be, but at least he wasn't headed toward downtown. Instead he was headed toward the quiet little neighborhood his friends lived in. At least, it used to be quiet, he supposed. With police and press crawling all over it, he supposed it wasn't so very quiet at the moment.

Since he was a lawyer and not a reporter, and familiar enough with the LAPD, he was allowed through at the checkpoint near the house. Gavin pulled his car to the curb in front of it and noted that there was at least one other parked alongside the familiar sedans that belonged to Sharon, Andy, and Rusty. Gavin made sure he had his phone as he left the car. Now to find out what the hell was going on while he was away. Couldn't these people ever stay out of trouble?

"There are still a lot of cars out there." Rusty peeked out from one of the living room windows, barely moving the blinds so that he could see the cars and news vans parked at the end of their street. "What part of, please respect us, do they never understand."

"Typically, it's the respect part." Andy moved into the kitchen to pour himself another cup of coffee. He had gone out earlier for a meeting, and had almost regretted it when he had to come back through a throng of flashing lights and people trying to crowd his car as it came back down the street.

"Rusty, come away from the window please." Sharon called from the kitchen. "If you're bored, you can set the table." She shared a smirk with her husband when he snickered. She stood at the stove, resolutely putting something together for breakfast while Charlotte stood nearby, holding Ian. He wouldn't let them put him in the high chair. He wasn't letting anyone put him down for long. It was to be expected, she supposed. Until he felt secure in his environment again.

Andy moved behind her and slipped an arm around her waist. He leaned into her back and looked over her shoulder. She was making pancakes. He nosed her hair aside and nuzzled her neck. "Blueberries?" A smile tugged at his mouth. He reached around her and snagged one of the fresh fruits from the bowl nearby.

"The kids like them, stop that!" She smacked the spatula lightly against his knuckles.

"I'm hungry." He turned his face into her neck and nuzzled.

"It will be done soon," she chuckled quietly.

"Oh god!" Rusty rolled his eyes. "If you're going to make me come in here, could you at least not do that." He shuddered, for good measure, as he walked to the cabinet to pull down the plates.

Charlotte laughed where she stood in the corner of the kitchen nearest the stove. "Rusty, they're never going to not do that. It's best to ignore them." Ian was playing with the end of her braid. She winced when he pulled a bit too hard and tugged it away from him.

"Yeah, it's best just to ignore us." Andy pulled his wife more firmly against him and nipped at her ear.

"Alright, okay," she shrugged away from him. Sharon pushed him back and pointed the spatula at him. "Go be useful, help Rusty set the table."

"I thought I was being useful?" He flashed a crooked grin, and when she turned back to the stove, he dodged around her and snagged another small handful of the blueberries. He moved away, chuckling when she glared at him. There wasn't much heat in her look. He could see that she was more amused than anything.

"Andy!" Sharon shook her head at him.

"What?" He moved around to the other side of Charlotte and drew Ian's attention. "The kids like them," he drawled teasingly. He held one of them up and popped it into Ian's mouth when it opened. "Right buddy?"

"Yum!" His eyes lit up. He reached and twisted toward his father.

Andy put his coffee aside and pulled the toddler into his arms. "See?" He shared his bounty with Ian. "Tell mom to hurry up, we're starving here."

At the stove, Sharon turned and fixed him with a look. "Lieutenant, are you teaching my son bad habits?"

"Absolutely not, Captain." Andy inclined his head. He suppressed a smile at the dancing amusement in her green eyes. "I'd never dream of doing that. No, I'm teaching my son patience is not a virtue when mom is making blueberry pancakes." There was still a dark cloud hanging over their heads. They all felt it. It would be there until Daniel Dunn was caught and placed behind bars. Until that happened, they were doing their best to move beyond it. They wouldn't allow their children to be effected by this anymore than they already had been. Andy bounced his son in his arms and looked at him. "So, what do we say?"

Ian stared right back at him. A smile graced his little face. He looked at his mother. "Hurry!" He paused. "Please?"

"Really?" Andy looked at him. "You had to go there?" He watched his son cover his face and throw his head back, giggling. "I thought we had something goin' here. How could you just leave me hanging like that." The high-pitched, happy laughter did more to chase away the darkness than almost anything else could. When Ian lifted his head and looked between his fingers at first his father, and then his mother, Andy shook his head. "She's making the face isn't she? That's why you sold me out."

Sharon turned off the stove and lifted the platter of pancakes to carry to the table. She slanted a look at him as she walked past. "We'll talk about it later, Mr. Flynn."

Andy and Ian looked at each other. "Ah oh," the child said.

"I've been demoted, kid. A few minutes ago, it was Lieutenant." He heaved a playfully exasperated sigh. "One of these days, I'll learn."

"Nope." Ian cackled again.

Sharon rolled her eyes at them and walked back to the stove to get the eggs and bacon that she had made to go with the pancakes. There was also a plate of fresh fruit, which Charlotte carried over. "Well, he's observant at the very least," She drawled.

"Nah," Andy smirked. "Kid's just smart enough to know it's always best to keep mom happy."

"That's the truth," Rusty and Charlotte muttered. The former brought over the orange juice, while the latter set a carafe of coffee in the center of the table.

"Which puts him leagues ahead of his elder siblings," Sharon chirped with a grin. She moved toward the living room when they heard the doorbell. She waved Andy back when started to hand Ian off and follow her. "That is probably Nicole and the boys." She moved through the living room and paused at the stairs to call out, "Ricky, breakfast." Her eldest had gone up to shower and change when she started cooking.

"Out in a few," he called back.

Sharon nodded and moved through the foyer. She made note to remind the kids to close the baby gates. She peeked through the window beside the door before opening it and gasped at the identity of the visitor. Sharon flipped the locks and tugged the door open immediately. "Gavin!" Surprise lit her eyes. "I thought you weren't back until—oh!"

He pushed into the house, closed the door behind him, and folded her into a tight hug. She looked like three kinds of hell, all hidden under a careful application of makeup. Her hair was down, as it usually was, and pulled over her shoulder. It was a nice, soft look for her. The only problem was that she was pale, with dark smudges beneath her eyes that even the best application of Clinique concealer could not completely hide. She was drawn and he could see, brittle and frayed around the edges. "You didn't call me," he stated brusquely.

Of course, it was all over the news, she realized, at least locally. "I'm sorry," Sharon murmured. "I didn't—I'm sorry." There was no excuse, even if they hadn't been thinking altogether clearly. "I dropped by your office several days ago and your assistant told me you'd already left for Milan." Sharon pulled back and smiled tremulously up at him. "I really just didn't think of it. Gavin, it's all happened so quickly."

He felt her tremble and pulled her into another hug. "I understand." His hand stroked her back when he felt her tremble again.

He was one of her oldest friends. The man had just returned from a vacation in Italy, and all she could smell was the inexpensive, department store cologne that his mother sent him for Christmas every year. A broad smile curved her lips. "I'm so glad that you're here," She murmured.

"So am I, sweetie, so am I." Gavin drew back and took a good, long look at her. "Obviously, you need me. You look like—"

"I don't even want to think about it." Sharon rolled her eyes at him. "I just made breakfast. Come and join us."

"If there's coffee," He stated, "I'll follow you anywhere, darling."

"Of course there is." She smirked. "Haven't you met my husband?" Sharon smiled. "Ricky and Charlotte are here too. I know they'll want to see you."

"Well, you had me at coffee. I'll stay for the little Sharonlings." Gavin drew her arm through his as they walked toward the kitchen.

Ricky came down the stairs behind them, hair still damp from the shower, but feeling much better in clean clothes. "You know, at some point, I think we grew out of being called that." He slapped the lawyer on the shoulder as he joined them. He was now, roughly, the same height.

"I think not." Gavin smirked. "Looks like her, talks like her, acts like her…" His lips pursed. "Sharonling." He waved an imperious hand at the eldest offspring and strolled into the kitchen. His gaze quickly swept it, took in the position and demeanor of each person present. "Ahh… little Flynnling!"

Sharon snorted quietly. "Not to hear his father tell it."

Ian was seated in his father's lap, while his sister cut his pancakes into small pieces. He thrust his arms up almost immediately. "Gabin!"

The lawyer's eyes narrowed. "Are you in anyway currently stained? I am wearing Armani." He looked the child over carefully before he finally lifted him. "Can you say Armani yet."

"Ah-Mani now." Ian smiled.

"Close enough." He curled an arm around him and settled him on his hip. "You get points for being demanding. Nice delivery little Flynnling. There is hope for you yet."

The doorbell rang again and Ricky, who had yet to join them at the table, turned toward the living room. "I'll go this time. Mom, sit." He nudged her toward a chair. He knew that her head had to be killing her, but she was fighting it.

"Come on, babe." Andy caught her arm and tugged her around into her usual seat. He stood when he heard his daughter's voice, joined by the sound of his step-grandsons. "I'll take care of them."

Sharon sighed, but nodded. She did have a rather unpleasant headache. It was to be expected. They'd warned her she would experience them off and on for a few days while she recovered from the concussion. "Thank you, honey. Gavin, take a seat. She reached across the table for one of the empty mugs and poured coffee into it for him. Then she took Ian's plate from Charlotte and placed it in front of her to finish filling it for him. For both of them, as they would, per usual, share. "I'll take him," She told Gavin, when he'd finally gained his seat.

They exchanged her child for the cup of coffee and Sharon drew him across her lap. "Mom, you should really put him in the high chair, you need to—" Charlotte stopped and shook her head at the look it earned her. "Okay," she conceded with a small smile.

"Charlotte, I understand that you're all worried," Sharon gave Ian his plastic spoon and drew their plate closer to the edge of the table. "But this is how we do breakfast. Furthermore, I am fine." She smiled gently at her daughter. "I used to do this with you, and I did it with Ricky, and in many, many years from now, when I'm very much older, I promise to do it with the grandchildren too. Okay?"

"Yes ma'am." Charlotte lifted her orange juice and smiled.

"Look what I found," Andy strolled into the kitchen with one of the grandsons beneath his arm. The other was jogging along behind. He dropped him onto his feet and walked over to pull down more plates.

Nicole walked quickly into the kitchen. "I am so glad that you are okay," she bent to hug her stepmother. "I'm sorry we couldn't come yesterday."

"Nonsense." Sharon hugged her back. "It was better for the boys to keep them away." She cupped her stepdaughter's cheek for a moment before she leaned back.

"Hey honey." Nicole knelt down in front of her brother. "I heard you had a rough day." She swept a hand through his dark hair. "Look what Jake sent you. He wanted to come and see you but he had to work." She held up a stuffed zebra. Her husband was a public relations manager at the Los Angeles Zoo.

"That was very nice." Sharon dropped a kiss to the top of his head. "What do you say, Ian?"

"Thank you." He drew it to him and buried his face in its neck.

"You're welcome." Nicole leaned forward and kissed his cheek. After a moment, she stood up again. "Jake really did want to come," she explained. "We thought maybe, in a few days, after everything settles down a bit, you could bring everyone out to our place." They lived further outside the main city, up in the hills. It was a bit quieter there. "Make a day of it, let the kids play in the pool, fire up the grill and torment dad with piles and piles of fire roasted meat."

Sharon's gaze found Andy on the other side of the kitchen. When he nodded, she smiled. "That sounds wonderful, honey. We'd love to. Perhaps we can arrange it before everyone goes back to their respective cities," She glanced at her own children in askance.

Ricky and Charlotte looked at one another and shrugged. "Sounds good to me." They both said. The grown stepchildren didn't spend much time together, but they seemed to get along well enough when they were together. The problem was distance, with Ricky in Northern California and Charlotte in in New York. They were only home a few times a year, specifically around the holidays.

It was Rusty that she was closer to. Nicole moved to him as he and her dad got her boys settled on stools at the center island with their breakfasts. "How are you?" She asked quietly.

He glanced over and shrugged. "Better now. It's been…" He shot a look at Sharon and shrugged. "You know. And they've been…" he shot a look at her dad and rolled his eyes. "You know?"

Nicole chuckled. "You've got a way with words, Rusty Beck." She ruffled his hair, making him scowl at her. Then she moved over and poured herself a cup of coffee. She had eaten with Jake that morning and wasn't very hungry, but her boys never turned down food. Especially when it came from one of their grandparents' homes.

He gave her a lopsided grin back. "Yeah, I know." He glanced at them again, Sharon and Andy. With the boys settled, he'd gone back to the table. He was back in his seat beside her, an arm draped casually across the back of Sharon's chair. "It's better now," he was all he said, deciding to keep it at that.

There was more he wasn't saying. They were all still a bit fragile. Nicole hummed quietly and lifted her coffee cup to her lips. She jerked her head toward the other room and he nodded. She moved out ahead of him, knowing the boys would be in good hands without her. In the living room, they stepped out the back doors onto the deck. "Okay, start talking."

Rusty sighed. He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked toward the rail. "What is there to say? My biological sperm donor tried to kill the lady who saved me from him, then he stole her kid, and now every cop in the city is looking for him." He was barefoot and the wooden deck was cool beneath his feet. He turned and pressed his back against the railing. "I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel about it. I want them to catch him. They need to catch him. It is better right now, but before… I think it broke them a little." Rusty trembled a bit, remembering. "Do you remember the night Ian was born? Your dad was like that a little. A lot," he amended. "And Sharon… I've never seen her…" He thought maybe that frightened him more than anything.

Nicole walked over and leaned against the railing beside him. "It's a scary thing," she said quietly. "Being a parent. I didn't realize how much until I married Jake. I thought I was ready for it. I didn't have the first clue. I thought I loved those boys, and then I was responsible for them, and I've never been more terrified. I love them like crazy, but it's the scariest thing in the world, Rusty." She shook her head. "And you know, they're not even mine."

He slanted a look at her, and he grinned. "Yeah, they are." Rusty nudged her shoulder. "I know I can be kind of dense sometimes, and pretty difficult, but if there's one thing I've learned in the last three years, it's that sometimes, love is a lot thicker than blood."

"Wow." She looked at the sky. "When did you grow up and get all smart on us?" Nicole nudged him back. "I haven't heard you snark even once since I got here, I don't know if I can cope."

Rusty rolled his eyes at her. "Well, the old people were keeping their hands to themselves, so…"

"That's better." Nicole pushed away from the railing and turned to look at him. "It has nothing to do with you, you know that right? I know they told you, because I know my dad, and I know how Sharon feels about you. Listen to them, Rusty. Don't get all weird about it. Feel it, because I know you have to. It effects you too, but this guy… that Daniel, don't let him have any of you."

"I won't." Rusty stared back at her, gaze unwavering. "I'm am done with that asshole. Whatever happens to him, it's on his head. I just feel like… when everything is going great for us, the ground decides to open up and try to swallow us. I don't know how to stop it."

"You can't." Nicole smiled at him. "It's life. Sometimes it sucks. Most of the time it's pretty okay, and there are moments that are truly amazing. All we can do is go with it."

"Yeah." Rusty shook his head slowly. "You know something, you're starting to seriously freak me out right now. I mean, you're totally sounding like Sharon. It's kind of scary. What is that, like, a mom thing?"

"Maybe." She shrugged. "Or maybe I have actually been listening. You could follow my very good example."

"Uh huh." He smirked a there. "Don't like, hold your breath or anything."

"Ugh." Nicole rolled her eyes and gave him a light shove. "What are we going to do with you?"

"I'm not entirely sure," he replied, "but I think there should be gifts involved…"

Inside, Andy craned his head to peek out onto the deck for the tenth time since Rusty and Nicole had slipped out of the kitchen. They had been talking for sometime, and it seemed a bit pensive for a while. Then both their expressions had eased. He tried to hide his worry behind his coffee mug. "Stop it." Sharon had been watching him, in between sharing breakfast with her youngest. "They're fine."

"I know." Andy reached over and took a strawberry off her plate. "Just… keeping an eye on things," he replied.

"Hmm." She hummed with a smile. "Of course you are." She flashed an indulgent look at him. Proximity had made Rusty and Nicole closer than the other children. He had a fairly decent relationship with her older children. They got along well, but they weren't overly close. He wouldn't confide in them. There were many ways in which Rusty was still very guarded. Nicole and her family were present in their lives, and with her marriage to Andy and Ian's birth, the two families spent as much time together as their busy lives allowed.

It helped too, that in a lot of ways Nicole was much like her father. She didn't allow you to hide. She had accepted Rusty because she sensed that he needed it. In part, Sharon thought it was Nicole's relationship to her stepchildren that bridged the gap between the two. She understood, as almost no one else could - save perhaps Andy, how much Sharon could love the boy that was not quite her own.

Sharon glanced at her husband again and saw that his gaze had once again moved outside. She reached over and touched his hand. She smiled gently at him. "He'll talk to her," she said quietly. "Then, later, he'll be more prepared to talk to us. He can't right now. If Buzz or Lieutenant Provenza were here now, he would be talking to them. I think he'd much rather it, actually. But they're a little busy right now, and Nicole is available. Stop worrying, she's her father's daughter. She's going to drag it out of him. He'll be okay."

"Yeah alright." He draped his arm across the back of her chair again, and stretched his hand up to flick her hair playfully. "But I'm still going to worry," he groused.

"Yes, I know." Her smile warmed, she leaned toward him. Her lips brushed the corner of his mouth. "If you weren't worrying about something, you wouldn't be you."

"Cheeky." He reached for Ian and drew him into his own lap when his son began to play more than eat. "Okay, we need to talk," he told the boy. "It's this selling me out thing. I've been thinking about it. We have to work on your timing. If you're going to take mom's side, just don't do it in front of me. There are rules about this sort of thing, son."

"Rules." Ian nodded seriously. "Mama. Rules."

"Damn." Andy snorted. "He's got you pegged."

"I'll say," Gavin snorted.

Sharon laughed. "Well, never let it be said that he isn't incredibly intelligent."

"I'm also sensing a strong case of self-preservation there," Charlotte stated.

"Yeah, we've talked about it at length," Ricky said. "I can't wait until he's a teenager. The things I can teach this kid." He grinned crookedly.

"Richard Raydor," His mother glowered at him, albeit with little heat. "You will not be teaching your brother how to sneak out of the house or hot wire the car."

"Well, it's pretty hard to hot-wire anything these days," Ricky pointed out. "But the sneaking thing, sorry mom, love you lots, but it's a right of passage. We all did it. This one will be no exception."

Sharon glanced at her daughter. Charlotte smirked. "What? You thought I wanted the window seat because it looked cute? Please, I wanted something soft to land on when I snuck back in to the house."

"For the record," Ricky said. "It was Gavin that taught me."

"Well someone had to make sure these kids acquired some useful skills," the lawyer stated, upon receiving a glare of his own from their mother. "What if he went to a nightclub and lost his keys, he needed to be able to get home without calling you somehow." Gavin lifted his coffee to his lips. "Besides, you're the one who taught me."

"What?" Andy stared at his wife, wide-eyed. "You taught him," he pointed at Gavin, "how to hot-wire a car?" He squinted at her. "What even are you?"

She giggled. "I have brothers." Sharon shrugged. "I also have an ex-husband with a few questionable skills of his own. Or, probably more to the point, he had a few questionable friends at one time."

"Wait a second," Andy tilted his head at her. "You're telling me that your ex-husband taught you how to hot-wire a car, and you've been holding out on me?" He blinked. "What else do I not know about you?"

"Well if I told you," she drawled, "all the mystery would be gone." The corners of her mouth twitched toward a smile. "Suffice it to say, I could have a few skills that you've never seen," she said at length, and in a low tone.

"I think I really love you," Andy sighed.

"Well, since I really love you too, I think that's okay," she replied.

"Good, glad that's settled." Andy stood up with Ian and grinned. "We're off to get cleaned up." He bent and pressed a kiss to her smiling mouth.

"Thank you." She pulled one of Ian's hands to her mouth, kissing it. "Have fun."

"Fun, fun, fun." Ian smiled, a bit devilishly.

Sharon watched them go, and only when they were no longer in view did she turn to Gavin. They would need to talk, but not yet. Not while the children were present. It would wait just a little while longer. "So, tell me about Italy…"