A/N- This chapter is written in Rusty's (well-timed) honor. And your's as well! Please let me know what you think. I hope it plays well here. I know there's a lot of mixed feelings about the Sharon and Andy ship, and tropes, and independence, ect. Don't get me wrong. I love a good Sharon and Andrea story, but I'm just playing this one within canon. Although, come to think of it, maybe James Duff based both Sharon and Andy off himself and the two of them are just trolling the FRAK out of Rusty. Ya know? hahaha I can see it now (:

Sharon looked at Flynn in horror. "Oh, my God." It was the intermission, and both Nicole and Rusty had wisely chosen to go in search of some water.

"How did he know about the Dodger's game?"

Sharon closed her mouth slowly. "Well, you did tell me to wear my blue sweater."

"So?"

"I don't wear that sweater very often. And I came back absolutely reeking of popcorn. And suncreen-"

"The sunscreen was your idea-"

"And did you hear what Rusty said?" she hissed softly.

"What?"

"Well, I told him we absolutely were not dating and he. . . Oh, my God, Andy." She covered her face with her hands, her hair sweeping over her fingers. "Oh, God. He said 'several times a month.' As in 'we're not dating several times a month.'"

Flynn leaned back and stretched one arm out over the back of her chair. "The kid's got a point."

"How so?" she mumbled through her fingers.

"Movies, dinner, that game, that banquet thing of yours-"

"It was a charity supper, and even you said the speakers were good!"

"Yeah, but think about it." He paused for a moment. "Okay, look. If Rusty started going to movies and dinners and stuff like that with that Jeff guy, you'd be all over him. Ah-" He raised his free hand as she opened her mouth. "No, you'd be playing twenty questions with the kid. Actually," he grinned at her. "Actually, I bet that you've already vetted this Jeff through Tao. Tell me I'm wrong."

She looked about to speak, and then shot him a dark glare instead. "So?"

"Maybe the kid's got it right. Are we dating?"

She looked down again. "I don't know. I honestly don't. I'm sorry. I know this isn't what you're looking for-" this time she stopped him from speaking. "You need stability, and I can't give that right now. I got divorced- what? Three weeks ago? I mean, that's never really factored into this, but it's all so new, and I'm-"

"You're not a married woman." He looked at her and raised his eyebrows. "I understand. It's not the status quo you've had to live by for most of your life, and you're going to need time to grieve."

"What?"

"You've moved on, obviously, but I bet you still feel like something's missing. Even if you're glad it's gone, it's still missing, and you need some time to recover. I get it, Sharon. Trust me, I get it."

She looked at him. "I know. I just. . . I don't know how to describe it. It's. . . I want to be over him, Andy!" She didn't need to say who 'he' was. "I am over him, but I just, I just. . ."

"There's some little lineal part of you that's screaming 'danger!' every time you look at a guy. It's okay. Sharon," he let his arm slide from the back of her seat and pulled her close. "Sharon, I'm not a horny, teenaged kid anymore. I've been through all of this, and I've got plenty of time. Neither of us is going anywhere, and I'm content to wait. I don't care if it's next month or next year. If it never happens, I would be a little disappointed, but I'd get over it. The friendship is the important part, nothing else."

"Honestly?" She looked up at him.

"Honestly."

She sighed. "Thank you."

"Hey, good stuff is worth waiting for."

"Lieutenant," her tone had turned sharp. "Are you describing me as 'good stuff?'"

"No, ma'am. I may have described you to Provenza as f-"

She slapped her hand over his mouth. "Not in front of the children!"

He grinned at her. "I'll have to tell you later, then, so you can adequately picture his reaction."

"I suppose," she smiled.

Nicole laid a hand on Rusty's shoulder. "Wait a second."

"Huh?" He saw where she was looking.

Flynn and Sharon had their heads close together, talking about something, then Sharon pulled back, laughing. After another moment, they were close again. Despite the backlighting from the stage, Rusty saw the lieutenant's head dip in what was clearly a kiss to Sharon's cheek.

"'Not dating,' my ass," Nicole muttered to Rusty.

"Yeah," he replied. "See what I have to put up with all the time? 'Lieutenant Flynn and I are going to a movie, Rusty. I'll let you know when I'll be home. Text me- call me- if you need anything.'" Rusty glanced at Nicole. "And there's the infamous 'We're going to a charity evening, Rusty. It's a dinner and a dance. Yes, that's why I'm wearing this beautiful gown that Gavin and I spent all of last Saturday shopping for. Yes, I'm wearing diamond earrings. He had to rent a tux; it's not just me, Rusty.' Oh my God," Rusty said suddenly. "I almost forgot." He shifted both bottles of water to one hand and pulled out his phone with the other. "I took photos."

"A photo of my dad in a tux? No way." Nicole leaned down to look over his shoulder.

Sure enough, there were several shots of the pair. Flynn was dressed in a crisp black tuxedo with a bow tie and shining shoes. His arm was around Sharon, who was wearing an equally dark, bateau-necked dress. It was tight to her hips, then fell in light folds to the floor and was cut through with panels of shimmering blue and silver sequins. They were both smiling widely.

"They really don't know how obvious they are, do they?"

Rusty shook his head and tucked his phone away as the house lights began to dim. "Nope."

The 'f' word wasn't going to be 'fucking,' but I'll let you go where you will with it. (: Be kind.