Yesterday's Child

Chapter Twelve "Reconciliation"

Sharon took a deep breath as she opened the door to the murder room. Never would she have imagined she would be boxing up the last twenty five years of her life. As she scanned the room, her eyes came to rest on the figure in the corner. He had his back to her, his attention focused the phone he held in his hand. Andy. Did she actually whisper his name out loud? She looked at the door and back to him. Maybe she could slip out of the room before he noticed her. As she turned toward the door, he stood up and faced her. The silence between them hung thick in the air.

Andy opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Lt Provenza came breezing in.

"Captain… I'm sorry I'm running late. Something came up with Taylor and he asked me to help you out with your things."

"So I hear," she looked toward her office," I can't believe you haven't moved in already."

"My interior decorator is on vacation," he patted her on the arm," besides you haven't moved out ,and appears you won't be packing up today. Taylor forgot to give me the key." She let out a barely audible sigh as her eyes wondered over to Andy. "That's ok, I wasn't much in the mood for packing anyway." As she stepped into the hallway, she heard Provenza say "Flynn we've got to roll, duty calls." Once Sharon was out of sight, Provenza took the key out of his pocket and placed it in his desk drawer.

Hawk was waiting for her in the hallway. "Come on Love, we have places to go and people to see." She gave him a questioning look. "We'll take your car. I'll drive."

Meanwhile, Flynn and Provenza pulled up to an abandoned warehouse. Provenza was explaining that their suspect had been seen coming and going from there. "You go in from the front, I'll check the back."Provenza directed. "I need to park the car around back anyway, so we don't tip anyone off that we're here."

Flynn got out and gave his partner a second look and shook his head.

A few minutes later, Hawk and Sharon pulled up. "I have information that our hit man will be meeting someone here later. I'll go on in and you hide the car," Hawk said.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm already in the passenger seat, I'll go first." Sharon was practically out of the car as she spoke.

As Hawk watched her enter the building he had to laugh. Playing her was so easy.

He drove past Provenza and gave him a nod.

The warehouse was empty, dark and musty. It must have been abandoned for some time. The few windows were small and above head heighth, letting in only enough light to see things in shadows and shades of gray.

As she stood acclimating her eyes to the darkness, she heard a sound coming from the corner on her right. She pulled her .380 out of her back pocket. "Who's there?" She said in her best Darth Raydor voice. "Put your hands up and show yourself."

"Sharon?"

"Andy?"

They stood staring at each other. "I think we've been had." Andy shook his head. "Or set up."

Sharon immediately headed for the door. She turned the knob and pulled on the door. Then, she turned the knob again. "It's locked."

Andy came to her side and tried the door for himself.

"What, am I not capable of being able to tell if a door is locked or not?" she glared.

"Oh, heaven forbid, I try to help you and what, I might break a nail ?" he retorted.

She walked away, then turned to face him. "It's not like that."

"Then what is it like?"

" Am I wrong to not want you to end up like me?" Sharon folded her arms across her chest, "let's see, how does being suspended pending the investigation of two murders sound?"

"God, Sharon," Andy took a couple of deep breaths to regain his composure. Why didn't you tell me?"

Sharon's eyes narrowed," Really? I was trying to tell you the night you unceremoniously threw my ass out on your porch."

"It wasn't so unceremoniously." He started to reach for her, but stopped.

"What, did you do some Hail Mary dance when you turned the porch light off?" She thought she saw a grin creep across his lips.

"Something like that." He said.

"Nice touch.""

" Yeah, I thought so." He reached up and brushed a wisp of hair from her face ."I get that you don't need me." He let out a frustrated sigh." I picked up on that loud and clear the night you rolled that guy at the bar."

"How do you know about that?" She demanded.

Andy turned away from her and shook his head. "It sure as hell isn't because you told me." He leaned against the wall." I was there. With your friend, Santos."

So he thought this was in my best interest? I'll have his ass for this.

"There's a difference between needing someone and wanting someone." Her eyes searched his for some glimmer of understanding. "I have been on my own for a very long time. The only one I could count on was me."

"It doesn't have to be that way. I'm here." Andy reached for her hand, " I'm not going anywhere."

"For the record, he's not my friend. He's an acquaintance." She explained, "I wouldn't get too attached to the name Santos , either. I doubt it's his real one. I've always known him as Hawk."

"Hawk, that's original." Andy grunted as he withdrew his hand. "As long as we're being honest, there seems to be a lot more than friendship going on."

Sharon felt a pang of hurt," It's not like that."

"He flirts with you." Andy said.

"He does." She replied matter of factly.

"You act like you like it."

"I do." She put a hand on her hip." It's fun. It makes me laugh, but means nothing."

"What?" Andy was taken aback by her honesty.

"I've been in the LAPD for most of my adult life. It's not like it's a proper environment for that kind of behavior. If you remember, being the Wicked Witch of FID wasn't real conducive for anyone wanting to flirt with me anyway "she explained.

"I flirt with you." He shot her a crooked grin.

"You, Lieutenant, have a penchant for breaking the rules," she stifle a laugh.

"Do you even know what this guy actually does? It's obvious he's no bean counter,"

"International Independent Contracting, or something like that."

"So, he's a hit man." Andy's brows rose.
"What? That can't be, can it?" the look of shock settled on her face.

Andy shook his head "Seriously, that never crossed your mind?"

"I never thought about it. I'm so used to him blowing me a line of crap everytime I ask him anything , I didn't give it a second thought." Sharon shrugged.

"You're pretty fixated on him not to give it a second thought."

"Me? You're the one that's fixated. What are we doing?" She didn't give him a chance to answer. "Here we are, talking about someone that doesn't matter when all I wanted to do is fix this. I want to fix us."

Andy took her hands in his and pulled her close. As he looked into her eyes, he cupped her face in his hands. "You can't fix something that isn't broken. Things may have been bent for a little while, but they aren't broken. "

She smiled, the feeling of emptiness began to lift from her heart.

"Whatever happens, we will get through it….. together." He continued.

" I lo…" she was trying to get the courage to say it.

"Just say it. I need to hear you say it."

" I…. love you." Her gentle voice caressed his ears.

He soft kiss brushed her lips." I love you... for always…. and forever."

The sound of shattering glass snapped them into another reality.

Andy crept to the far side of the warehouse, Sharon following closely behind.

"Go! Get to the other side of the building, It's a bomb," He grabbed her hand and ran.

The deafening explosion rocked the building sending Andy and Sharon to the floor. He covered her body with his own the best he could as the debris rained down upon them.