Rusty Beck stares out the window, glancing at the stars and street lamps as they pass them on the way to Sharon Raydor's bungalow. He knew that, for Sharon, he had to get along with this man. Especially since there was now a child in the mix. He didn't want to be the reason another kid felt like he did, "Do you know that song 'When You Wish Upon a Star'?"
Andy Flynn raises an eyebrow, "Yeah, what of it?"
"Stars are giant balls of gas that exploded thousands of years ago...because of the speed of light, we're just seeing them today."
The man nods slowly, "Where are you going with this, kid?"
"Instead of being inspiring, they want you to wish on a bunch of hot air that happened a long time ago and you missed...so it will never come true." He smirks.
Andy chuckles, "Is that the kind of things you think about?"
"I think about a lot of things, Lieutenant. None of which I'm about to share with you."
"Fair enough." The older man parks out front of the house, "I'm assuming Sharon told you what's going on?" When the boy nods, he continues, "I don't want you to ever think you aren't welcome with us. You saved the woman I love and our child." He gets out, walking up to the door, "You mean a great deal to her. Whether you want to accept it or not is entirely up to you."
"She means a lot to me too." Rusty nods slowly, following the man, "You ever hurt her or her kid and we have a problem."
"That kid is my kid too...so there's no chance of that ever happening." Flynn pauses, looking to the teenager.
"You say that now." He shakes his head, walking to the kitchen, "I have some money left from when I worked. Want to call for pizza or something?"
"Yeah, but I'll pay, you keep that just in case." Flynn smiles, "What do you like on yours? Anything special?"
Rusty shrugs, "Sausage, mushrooms, pepperoni...sweet peppers?" He smirks, "Sharon always just gets it on half...says it's too many toppings for a sensible pizza."
Andy pauses, glancing to the boy, "Are you kidding me right now? Those are the best possible toppings for a pizza."
"You don't have to say you like something just because-"
"I've gotten mine made the same way for years. Can you call? Order the large...I'm hungry as hell."
Rusty smirks, nodding as he pulls out his iPhone, "I have an App...I don't have to call, I just put the stuff on there and they make it...tell me when each step is finished."
"You kids and your gadgets. I just figured mine out a couple weeks ago."
"How long have you had it?" Maybe the Lieutenant wasn't too bad. Maybe they would get along. He would try for Sharon at least.
"Few months."
"And you only learned to use it a few weeks ago?"
Andy nods, "I've been busy." He chuckles to himself, pulling out the remote to the CD player, "Don't tell Sharon I showed you this, but I'm not up for watching TV right now."
Rusty touches the screen on his phone, "Ordered." He picks his head up, watching what the other man is doing, "I knew there was a CD player-" He pauses, hearing the music fill the entire house, "Awesome."
"What do you listen to?"
"Zeplin...AC/DC..." He shrugs.
The silver haired man begins to chuckle, "You have great taste in music."
"I like Journey and Queen too...their music shaped what music is today. I like the original instead of a copy."
"Kid, I'll be honest with you. I was worried as hell that this wasn't going to work. That you were just going to be angry the entire time and we'd have nothing in common and hate one another." Andy smirks.
"Your opinion of me sounds-"
"But we like the same topping on our pizza and the same music. This is going to work out great for the both of us."
"Because those things hold a solid foundation for everything." The younger man raises an eyebrow.
"Well, they help. I mean...it's better than nothing." Andy nods, sitting at the counter in the kitchen, "So, how has school been?"
"Um." Rusty shrugs, "Fine, I guess."
"Heard there's been a lot of fights going on."
He nods, "Sharon tried to tell me to tell an adult-"
"Every parent says that. It's in the parent handbook somewhere. I beat up so many other kids while I was in school, my mother was up there almost every day arguing with teachers or the other mothers, then when we would get home, she'd beat me." Flynn chuckles, "My mother was a hardass though."
Rusty glances to him, "Sharon said you have other kids..."
He nods, "Two. They're younger than Sharon's though. Fifteen and fourteen. Around your age then."
"Do you see them often?"
"I wish I did." Flynn sighs, "Things happened when they were small and their mother and I got divorced-"
"You drank..."
Andy pauses, looking to the boy, "Yes, I did."
"At the bus station when..." Rusty shakes her head a little, "I kind of...I remember how mom was at the good times I...I just...I remember..."
"I understand." He nods slowly, "I've been sober for thirteen years. I try with my kids, but...my ex-wife and I don't get along very well and instead of letting it remain between us, she takes it out with the kids' relationship with me. They're good kids, though. When she does let me see them, they put up with me."
The boy nods, "I believe you, Lieutenant."
"You know, since I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other soon and probably living together in due time, You can call me Andy."
Rusty shrugs, "Why not Lieutenant?"
"With Sharon, You don't call her the Captain all the time."
"No, but..." He nods, "I see what you mean, but it's just easier to call you Lieutenant."
"Whatever you are comfortable with." Flynn stands when he hears the doorbell ring, "How much did they say?" He glances to the boy.
"Twenty."
"For a pizza?" He makes a face, walking to the door. He pays the young delivery woman and carries the cardboard box to the kitchen, flinging it open.
