Once again, I must seriously apologise for the delay, what the heck is reality and why does it keep getting in my way?

Huge thanks go to everyone that is still with me, the reviews the prompts the pushes and the nagging...it's because of you that I find the energy to do this...

Chapter 10

Andy wasn't sure how long he sat in his car, he'd checked the time on his cell numerous times yet never really processed the numbers in his brain.

Every few seconds he'd glance out the window at the house across the street. It looked even more impressive in the daylight, just the shear size was overwhelming to him. Perhaps that was what kept him in his car, he felt out of place in this side of town. Sharon was way out of his league and they both knew it.

Yet something brought him here, he'd been toying with the idea the whole weekend and now, late Sunday afternoon here he was. Regretting his decision the longer he sat stationary in his car like some very obvious stalker.

A sharp bang made him jump and his head whipped around to find himself face to face with Andrea and Brenda. Another glance through the window and Andy registered the origin of the loud noise that had scared the shit out of him. Gavin Baker leant against the car, his hand still resting on the roof where he had previously banged his fist.

"Jeez Baker! Watch the hardware dude this is a classic!"

"Classic what? Antique?" Gavin smiled and raised one eyebrow in question. Andy simply shook his head as he pulled his breathing back to normal.

"You know the longer you sit out here the more you start to look creepy." Brenda leaned in through the open window and rested her arms on the door as she looked at him.

"Sharon hasn't seen me has she?"

"No we let ourselves out and her room is at the back of the house so you're off the hook Flynn." Andrea laughed and nudged Brenda aside so that she could lean in too.

"How is she?"

"Holding up I guess." Brenda shrugged in reply. "She's still pissed as hell but you know Sharon, she's the silent yet deadly type."

"Twice as scary in my book." Gavin quipped his eyebrow again as he folded his arms across his chest.

"She tell you guys everything?" Andy looked between the girls and back to Gavin, finally focusing on Andrea as she answered his question.

"Of course she did. Every detail from trash rat discovery to knight in shining armour seeing her safely to the door."

"I was just being a friend."

"Of course you were. Now if I were you I'd get up there before her Dad calls the cops on you." Gavin laughed and pulled Brenda and Andrea away from the car, leaving Andy alone with his thoughts once again.

Charles Sinclair was not usually the type to work on the weekends. Mostly he reminded himself that the number one perk of being so high in his profession was the luxury of dedicating the weekends to his family. Unfortunately he was currently presiding over a high profile murder case and the complexity of it meant that much of Sunday for him was spent reading up on the finer points of the crime.

From the day they bought this home he'd insisted that his study be located at the front of the house. His wife called him paranoid, but to Charles it was simply his way of overseeing everything and everyone that crossed the path of his home. Perhaps it was a method of control, he knew it was really but he wasn't about to admit that to his wife.

The sound of the front door closing behind his daughter's friends was the first thing that drew his attention, he'd looked up out of habit and watched Brenda, Andrea and that Gavin boy walk down the steps and across the lawn to Andrea's car. When they'd taken a detour across the street Charles Sinclair's attention really was pique'd.

He'd seen that car before, he'd been equally intrigued two nights ago when he'd seen this car pull up to the curb and sit for a few minutes. He hadn't been expecting Sharon to climb out of the passenger side, in a decidedly different outfit than he was expecting. Mere minutes later and the judge had literally seen red in rage, so much so that he was only just calming down even now, near enough 48 hours later.

Though his daughter had assured him that she was fine and it was little more than a scratch, Judge Sinclair had a lot of questions that remained unanswered. Mainly because his wife wouldn't let him ask them. It was none of their business she said, Sharon was fine she said, karma would be served, she said.

As a man who was used to getting the answers to every question he asked, it was difficult for him to stay out of his teenage daughter's business. Countless times he had almost demanded answers, instead he continued to remind himself that he had raised his daughter well, she could handle the likes of Jackson Raydor quite easily.

So lost in his thoughts that he was, the Judge only noticed at the last minute that the young male inhabitant of the strange car was walking up the path to their front door. Jumping from his seat he was out of the study and across the hall to pull open the door just as the suitably terrified looking young man lifted his hand to touch the knocker.

There he stood, frozen and wide eyed with his hand raised, Andy Flynn looked up at the imposing gentleman that was scowling down upon him.

"Can I help you, young man?"

"Um." Andy moved his hand as if only just remembering it was raised unnecessarily and cleared his throat. "Is..Sharon, home?"

"She is." Charles Sinclair folded his arms and narrowed his eyes.

"Um, can I see her?"

"May I ask who it is that is calling?"

"Oh! I'm sorry sir, I'm Andy. Uh, Flynn! I go to school with Sharon."

Andy almost rolled his eyes at his own stupidity. Even as he heard the words he realised how pathetic he sounded. He was nervous and convinced the Judge could see right through him. In truth he hadn't much experience of dealing with fathers of the girls he'd seen in the past, except the occasional really bad encounters when he'd been chased off of porches but usually he'd never let himself get that close to girls, ya know, meeting the family and stuff.

He and Sharon weren't even dating and yet here he was, risking her father's ire just to check she was ok.

"I know." Charles moved his arm to open the door fully as he stepped to the side, his gaze never leaving the teenage boy as he waved him inside. "I've heard a lot about you Andrew."

"All good I hope Sir?"

"Hm." The non-committal response came as Charles closed the door behind Andy and turned to stare at him again.

"I just wanted to check she was ok."

"Sharon tells me you are responsible for bringing her home Friday night, and for the change of clothes she arrived in."

"Technically the clothes thing was my sister." Andy shrugged. "But yeah I drove her home."

"She's been a little vague about the whole incident but I gather you came to her rescue."

"All due respect Sir, Sharon doesn't need anyone to rescue her. She's perfectly capable of kicking someone's ass by herself...especially Jackson's."

The corner's of the Judge's mouth twitched as he fought the smile. Though Andy caught the slight softening of his eyes. "Correct answer. You can wait in the kitchen down the hall. I will tell Sharon that you're here."

Charles watched the boy turn and walk slowly down the hall. He seemed nervous and that was a good thing, after Jackson Charles was certain that no cocky, arrogant, self entitled brat would ever grace his household again. He was disappointed in Jack, for a while he had hoped that his daughter and the boy had something solid, he came from a good family after all. Turns out that wasn't enough and never would be. Jack was an asshole simple as that. Maybe it was time that the Judge placed more of his faith in good character and strength of heart than money and social standing...just so long as he didn't let anyone else know that he was getting soft as he got older.

When he knocked on his daughter's bedroom door and peeked his head through the gap he smiled widely. Though she was tired and still harbouring the remnants of Jack's brush with insanity, Sharon looked happy and relaxed after a couple of hours with her friends.

"Hey Munchkin."

"Dad?"

"There's a boy here to see you honey." Charles pushed the door open further and leant against the frame. For a moment he saw the little colour she had drain fom her face.

"It's not Jack is it?"

"You think I'd let that lowlife into my house? He's lucky he's not in a cell right now and that's only because your mother forbid me to meddle. No, it's not Jack honey. He says his name is Andy."

Charles narrowed his eyes almost imperceptibly as a whole other rush of colour covered his daughter's cheeks. All of a sudden she was flustered and a little edgy.

"Oh! Andy? He's here?"

"He's waiting for you in the kitchen." Charles smiled as Sharon jumped from the bed and almost dove into the closet, what she was looking for he'd never know and didn't even want to know. As he pulled the door closed behind him he popped his head back in as an after thought. "Oh, and he has flowers too."

With that he closed the door behind him and headed back down the hall, mumbling under his breath as he went.

"Never saw Jack bring her flowers."

Andy stood almost motionless in her kitchen, he was nervous and a little claustrophobic. Whilst he waited he took in the room around him, though the kitchen was of similar size to his own it was much more modern, the surfaces almost literally shon they were so bright and clean. The whole house was immaculate, or at least what he'd seen of it. Though he expected no less when he thought about it.

In this precise moment he was glad he'd worn his best jeans and sneakers and his new zeppelin tee shirt, at least he looked presentable.

"Andy?"

When he heard her voice he turned on the spot, his breath caught for a moment as he took in the sight of her. Dressed simply in skinny jeans and a sweater she looked beautiful nonetheless. If not for the bruising on her cheek anyway.

"Hey."

Sharon smiled when she caught the slight shake in his voice, knowing it was probably down to the third degree he'd no doubt received from her father. The fact that he was even inside the house at all proved that he'd passed the initial parental inspection.

"Are those for me?" She nodded towards the bouquet of purple gerberas that he held clutched in his right hand and she almost laughed when he jumped and looked wide eyed at them as if he'd forgotten he even had them.

"Oh! Yeah. I remembered once you said they were your favourite and I know you like purple so..."

"They're beautiful, thank you." Sharon took them from him and began moving around the kitchen, retrieving a vase as she moved to the sink. "Would you like a drink of anything?"

Andy shrugged and dug his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "I could go for a water."

"Still or sparkling?" Sharon asked as she pulled open the large double door refridgerater.

"Still or sparkling? What is this, The Ritz?"

"You'd better believe it Flynn!" She laughed in response, glad that he was back to his usual sarcastic self, though she appreciated all his kindness she was starting to get a little self conscious.

Andy grinned as he caught the bottle of still water she tossed at him and followed her to the side of the room. By the window that overlooked the large garden there was a cushioned booth that served as a breakfast nook. When she slid in beside him he smiled back at her.

"You seem much better today than you did on Friday."

"I feel much better." Sharon relaxed into the seat, her fingers playing idly with the bottle in front of her. "Now that my parents know everything and so does Brenda and Andrea...it's a weight off my mind."

"I bet."

"I'm glad you're here actually."

"You mean you aren't sick of the sight of me yet?"

"Shut up idiot!"

"I'm sorry, I'll let you finish." Andy nodded through his laughter.

"I just wanted to thank you for everything you did the other night."

"I didn't do anything." Andy shrugged, blushing slightly under her stare.

"You mean besides getting me out of the mess, cleaning me up and making sure I got home alright? Sure Andy you did nothing."

"You're my friend. I'm glad you thought you could count on me."

Sharon smiled as a silence descended on them both for a moment. There was an energy there that stil went undefined and just a hint of nervousness.

"At least your cheek looks better anyway, bit of make up and no one will notice."

"I certainly hope so, facing school tomorrow is a little unsettling."

Andy looked at her for a moment, watching the way her eyes shifted from a look of uncertainty to determination. "You'll be fine. Jack won't know what hit him."

"I'd rather just avoid him at all costs Andy. I don't even want to look at him anymore."

"That can be arranged."

Sharon raised one eyebrow as she regarded him with a reproachful look. "Andy..."

"Hey I'm just saying! Honestly Sharon...nothing implied."

"Whatever it is you're thinking Andy just forget it! If there's one thing I want to salvage from the wreckage that is left of my relationship with Jackson Raydor, is my dignity."

"Understood." Andy nodded once, truthfully he had nothing planned for Jack but he knew he wasn't going to let the guy off free. But Sharon asked him to stand down and he would. "Do you at least, have a ride to school tomorrow? I could swing by and pick you up."

Sharon smiled and looked down at the hem of her sweater. "Andrea's picking me up after she gets Brenda so I'm covered. Thank you though, for the offer."

Andy nodded again and sighed, sitting back in the seat as he cleared his throat. "By the way, what is the deal with your Dad?"

"Scary right?"

"Yeah! I mean I've never been in a court room before, reputation aside, but that sure as hell felt close!"

"Security has been tightened around here, in light of recent events. He even grilled Gavin, just in case it was a rouse!"

Andy laughed heartily at her words. "Gavin? I wish I'd seen that."

"It was amusing. He handled it well though."

"I should probably get going," Andy sighed as he checked his phone, "Ma is a bit of a spaz when it comes to Sunday night dinner, attendance is mandatory. I usually end up on Uncle duty."

Sharon smiled and slipped from the booth, smiling as she stood. "Well I cannot deprive your little neices of their favourite uncle! I have your sister's clothes here," she handed him a bag containing the neatly folded garments. "Your hoodies' upstairs though."

"Keep it, ya know, for now. No hurry to get it back to me." Andy shrugged as he took the bag and they started towards the front door.

"Thanks." Sharon smiled, in truth she didn't really want to part with his jacket, it was comfy and it smelled like him. Sharon didn't want to think about what it meant that she felt that way.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yep, we have a double science class first period."

"Yeah, we're gunna have to seriously get going on that project ya know Sharon."

"No kidding!" Sharon laughed as Andy stepped out onto the front steps. "Thanks again Andy, for everything."

"What are friends for? Take care kid!" Andy winked as he turned to walk back to his car. He could feel her watching him the entire way. He had hoped that seeing her today might settle some of the mixed feelings he had right now. In truth they had only gotten more complicated.

Being a teenager certainly wasn't as easy as everyone made it out to be.

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