Andy took another look in the mirror and satisfied with his end result he headed out of his bathroom quietly walking past Sarah who was still sleeping soundly in bed. Just a sheet covered her naked form, he hadn't meant to call her up again. He knew it was just a way to push Sharon out of his mind, and it had worked in the beginning like usual it was always after sex when he would lay awake at night staring at the ceiling always wondering the what ifs. This latest run in with Sarah was the end result of leaving Sharon's apartment after Hank arrived and put her to bed. He couldn't help but like the guy, and that drove him nuts.
...
Andy had watched as Sharon slowly drifted asleep on the couch her fingers still around the wine glass. He reached for it and gently pulled it out of her grasp, grabbing the bottle he made his way to the kitchen to put it away when he heard the front door opened. His heart raced wildly as thoughts of the stalker rang through his mind he rushed to living room retrieving his gun from his holster.
"Whoa! Don't shoot!" Hank held his hands up playfully leaving his luggage unattended, and Andy watched the look of surprise change into curiosity. "What are you doing here?" Hank asked as his eyes ran over the room and landing on Sharon's sleeping form on the sofa.
"Came by to check on the Captain it was a rough day." Andy spoke as he put his gun back in the holster and walked towards Sharon. "I was just leaving after I cleaned up."
"Would you mind staying a little longer?" Hank asked as he made his way towards Sharon. "I'm just going to take her to bed, and since you're here I would like to talk to you. Lieutenant."
Andy rolled his eyes while Hank leaned down to carefully scoop her into his arms. "Well, I really should get going its rather late." Hank carried Sharon around the sofa and stopped before he hit the hallway.
"Stay I won't keep you too long." Hank spoke over his shoulder, and Andy watched him disappear out of view. The wine bottle flashed through his mind, then he thought better of it. He could stay and talk to him, even though he rather cut out his own tongue. Talk to the man that was with Sharon, the woman that always seemed to dance out of his fingers, the woman who always seemed to be on a different playing field then himself.
"She's really out of it." Hank smiled as he made his way towards Andy, pointing towards the dining area. He pulled out a chair and took a seat, and motioned for Andy to do the same.
"Yeah she might have had a little too much to drink, today was rough like I mentioned before." Andy spoke as he plopped down, and watched Hank give it some thought.
"I told her to move in with me." Hank rushed the words out of his mouth, and gave a defeated sigh bringing his hands to his mouth and looking downcast. Andy's mind went in panic mode, as his mind conjured up images of Sharon and moving boxes. "She hung up on me, and when I called her back she blasted a few obscenties my way."
Andy let loose a small chuckle as he watched Hank continue on. Once he was finished Andy clasped his hands together. "Its too soon for her and Rusty to move in with you."
"I know, it's my male ego as she also angrily mentioned earlier. I just want to protect the two of them, and unfortunately Sharon isn't one to swoon for that kind of thing." Andy laughed harder as he knew what he said was true. "She isn't like the female characters I write about."
"Well, I will tell you what she found humorous earlier. I actually wished I was there to see it." Hank's face lit up as he wondered what Sharon could have shared with her 'friend' "Your happy incident with Jack at the airport. Now she was a little inebriated as she tried to explain it to me earlier, but I wished I was there." After that the conversation between the two men turned into a new direction for Andy, the more he talked to Hank the more he actually liked him.
...
Sharon made her way to the parking garage, she was relieved to be going back to work. She spent all weekend with Rusty and Hank and all the little guilt trips her mind took her too. She talked Hank down from moving in with him, and she knew he meant well but she was a police Captain she could handle this threat. She listened as her heels echoed through the garage and stopping in her tracks. "A flat tire!"
She walked closer to it to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. "Great!" She pulled out her cellphone and called Hank. Grateful to him when he answered immediately and said he would be right down.
"I can have it changed in no time." Walking straight to the trunk of her car, Sharon looked at him.
"Um, I could borrow your car. I can't be late for work." Hank reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys and held it over her head. She placed a quick kiss on his lips and reached for the keys. "Thank you, don't forget to bring Rusty by the station later."
She made her way over to his car, and rolled her eyes as she noticed he left the top down. Taking a fast peek at her watch, she hurried over throwing her purse in the passenger side she couldn't be picky she needed to beat Provenza to the station. I'm going to open up to him. She needed someone to talk to, and she decided last night Provenza would be the one to talk too. He was no stranger to breaking things off, and she needed a few pointers.
She started the car and it roared to life, she reached for the buttons to adjust her seat. Once she was finished she reached for the gear shift, and froze. "Its a manual." She threw her head back in frustration, she pushed down on the clutch and closed her eyes visually remembering how to drive. She moved the gear shift over and down and let the clutch off slowly as she hit the gas it sputtered to death. "Damn" She turned the car back on and tried for a second time and was please she actually got it to back up. She hit the steering wheel to silently cheer herself on as she successfully backed up. "Now we are moving!" She exclaimed as she moved forward shifting effortlessly. Her eyes glanced towards the clock on the dash and she knew she needed to hurry to catch Provenza before everyone else showed up.
...
Andy sat at his desk and set to work on the paperwork he left over the weekend, he preferred the quiet of the office. "Did hell freeze over?" Andy rolled his eyes and turned to face Provenza.
"No you ass, I have some work to catch up on and I got restless at home." Andy laughed as he watched his friend roll up his sleeves, and huff in front of his desk glaring at his bobblehead. "Janitors move it again?" Andy got up to take a closer look at the bobble head's new position on his partner's desk.
"I used to leave them notes to leave it the hell alone." Provenza shrugged then moved his bobblehead back to the correct spot. "I gave up, you know I should stake out this office all night and give them a good what for!"
"Oh stop being so anal." Andy stated as he began to lean on his desk, but the glare had him stop and think better of it. "So I check on the Captain the other night."
Provenza threw up his hand to get him to stop him. "NOPE we are NOT discussing that." Andy gave him a surprised look, and started to walk away. "Wait!" Andy turned to face him again, and Provenza's face brightened with a smile. "You seem different today, like one night stand different." He then flashed Andy a toothy smile and walked towards his friend.
"How do you always know?"
"I can do you one better!" Provenza gleamed as he hit Andy's shoulder. "Sarah again huh?" The dumbstruck look on Andy's face had Provenza hitting him again. "Oh they don't call me Lieutenant for nothing!"
...
"I'm Captain Sharon Raydor head of Major Crimes." Sharon pulled out her badge to show to the unfortunate cop who pulled her over. "Five miles over the speed limit. Really?" She arched an eyebrow and looked sarcastically at the young cop.
"I'm sorry Captain, its my first week. I guess I'm just too excited." He shuffled nervously next to the car, and she was about to give him an earful when she heard the whishing of a sprinkler. The water splashing the back of her head and the entire car as it whizzed slowly by to hit her again. "Oh my god Ma'am, here let me..."
"NO!" She exclaimed as she shifted the car into first gear. "Officer Jenkins" She looked at his name tag and back to the road. "I will get in touch with you later." With that she hit the gas while releasing the clutch and the car shook slightly as she drove away. "Some start to this morning." She thought as she ran her fingers through her hair, feeling the spots where the water hit. Oh my hair is going to frizz.
Only a few blocks away from the department she breathed a sigh of relief. This day can't get any worse. She tried to enjoy the rest of the ride, while looking for the button to put the top up. She did not need a reason to call Hank, and the guilt strings tugged harder around her heart. I'm really going to do this. She leaned back in her seat feeling even guiltier driving his car to work. I can't give him what he wants.
Turning into the parking garage she made her way to her parking space and parked. She looked down at the massive arrays of buttons and took a chance on one she seen Hank hit a few times while riding with him and squealed as the top came up. Turning the engine off she reached for her purse and slung it over her shoulder and opened the door and made her way out. "NOOOO!" She screamed as the car started to roll backwards and she found herself forced back into her seat slamming her foot on the breaks. She pulled the emergency brake up, and made her way out of the car again. I hate manuals! She thought to herself as she slammed the little sport car's door and took a step only to lose her footing as the stiletto on her hell broke off her hands grasped the side of the car as she caught her balance.
She kicked her shoes off, and bent down to retrieve them once she had them in her hands she slowly rose back up not wanting to test fate on her skirt she chose to wear. If it rips so help me God...She thought to herself and gave a silent nod of thanks as she began to walk unscathed by fate this time.
...
"You know what really grinds my gears?" Provenza started again, and Andy rolled his eyes again. "Why the hell would Sarah entertain your little whims?"
"Hey, they are not 'little' whims and what can I say. I think the actions speak for themselves, after all shes at my home in my bed naked." Andy's voice grew louder with each word, and his face froze as Sharon silently walked into the room heels in hand. Provenza looked at Andy questionably and turned around to his line of sight.
"Captain! You look like hell!" Provenza sprang to action, making his way towards Sharon.
"Good morning to you too." She quickly made her way to her office, her ears ringing with Andy's statement to Provenza. Throwing her shoes across the room, and closing the blinds with a loud snap.
"Really?" Andy questioned Provenza hands on his hips and turning away from his partner and turning towards her office. He could hear the blinds as they snapped shut, and he shook his head no. Do not go in there. For the first time in forever he listened to his own advice, even though he desperately wanted to know what kind of morning she had. His peripheral vision caught Provenza making his way to the office. "Hey bud, I will pray for you."
"Idiot!" Provenza called over his shoulder as he disappeared into her office.
"Get out." Sharon groaned her lips touching her desk, her arms holding her forehead as she looked defeated resting on her desk.
Provenza smiled, he couldn't help it. The many years he had waited to see Captain Raydor lose it, he didn't expect her to do it like this. "Um Captain why are you wet?"
Sharon rose slowly up as she felt safer around Provenza, after hearing Andy bluntly admit to a naked woman in his bed as she walked in she did not want him in her office apologizing. Especially after her small scene just now. "I've had the worst morning."
"You're still alive aren't you?" Provenza questioned, and Sharon laid her head back on her arms and looked away from him. He has another woman in his bed, a naked woman in his bed. "Captain?"
"I'm fine, like you said I'm alive."
Provenza noticed her shoes sprawled on the floor and a heel missing from one, and then looked at her again noticing her hair was starting to frizz and looked damp. "Care to share what happened this morning?"
"I rather not, but I may need to borrow your car."
"My car?"
"Don't worry there's a pretty little red sportscar downstairs you can use today." She sat back up reaching for the keys and tossing it in the air, he caught it and reached into his pocket. "I hope you know how to drive a stick shift."
Provenza chuckled as he said hmmm, and pulled out his keys. "So the boyfriend doesn't mind your colleagues driving around in his car? And the Captain doesn't mind her favorite lieutenants using it to drive to crime scenes?"
"Just take the damn car." She got to her feet and walked towards him holding her hand out. "It's in my spot, please move it before I come back."
"How's Rusty?" Provenza asked as an after thought.
She softened as she turned around and touched his shoulder. "He's fine, and he's safe that's what matters until we find this creep." With those last words she walked out of her office barefoot, and ignored Andy's questioning gaze as she walked out of the room.
Provenza waved the keys in the air, "We get boy toy's wheels today!" Andy shook his head. "I'm driving it, and you don't get a turn." Andy tried to focus on his partner, but his eyes drifted back to Sharon as she looked defeated. Provenza threw the keys at his chest, and Andy gave him wtf look. "Go move the car in my spot idiot." Andy quickly bent down scooping the keys up and racing after her.
He surprised her as he raced into the elevator, her eyes grew wide as he put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back into the wall. His eyes looked hungry down towards her, and his hands left her shoulders to grip her waist. "I don't cheat." His words filled the small elevator and she blinked in surprise. His hot breath ran slowly down her chin towards her chest, "I'm not going to be waiting in the sidelines forever for you. As you already know, I'm no Hank like that. I'm also not going to take off whenever I feel like it, I'm no Jack."
The elevator came to a stop and he let go of her, and stepped away. She stepped forward and hit close doors. "I know your not like them, and that's what is making everything so hard right now. I don't want to keep going on like this." The doors slowly opened again, and she quietly stepped backwards, offering a tight smile.
Andy stepped out following her, pulling Hank's keys out of his pocket. "I was told to move a car."
"Very well." Sharon smiled as she turned around and they walked silently together. "He will be by later with Rusty to pick it up, I had a flat this morning."
"Did it rain?" Andy asked giving her hair a once over.
"Sprinklers."
"You had a flat near a water sprinkler?"
"No, I got pulled over near a sprinker."
"You left the windows down?"
"I didn't know how to put the top up when I left this morning."
"You know, you have cute feet." Andy tapped her shoulder with his as he walked with her to Provenza's spot.
"Oh yeah, don't forget to put the emergency brakes up." She smiled as Andy started to laugh keeping up with her mentally. "I lost a heel because of that. Thanks, I rarely get compliments on my feet."
"You sleep with the wrong men."
"Let's not go there." They walked in silence for a little while. "At least the men I sleep with are men and not the same age as my kids."
"They have the energy to keep up with me." Andy nudged her again, and she laughed alongside him.
"I'm sorry I passed out on you the other night, it wasn't right for me to drink like that in front of you." She reached Provenza's car and leaned against the door. Andy shrugged it off, and she placed her hand on his arm. "I mean it."
"Sharon its fine, that was a rough day for everyone. Rusty is going to be okay, we will protect him and we will find this damn creep." She nodded her head along with him, and he could see the gleam come back in her eyes.
"Thank you, I have some things to take care of and I will be back before you notice I'm gone."
"Nonsense." Andy waved her words off. "I always notice when you're gone." He turned to walk away from her, Sharon's belly filled with butterflies as she watched him walk away.
God I love you. She stood to attention and looked around the parking garage praying she didn't say that out loud. I'm so frakked. Her phone started to go off, she slowly retrieved it from her pocket as she continued to watch him walk away. "Captain.."
"Geez mom, check the caller i.d."
"Ricky, it's so good to hear your voice." She tore her eyes off of Andy's back and got sat behind Provenza's wheel.
"Sorry mom, you know how you raised me to stay out of affairs that aren't my own..."
"Yes, I recall." Sharon answered suspiciously, nervously tapping the steering wheel with her fingers.
"What's this I hear about you dating that alcoholic that used to hang around with Jack?" Ricky asked, refusing to say dad. Sharon mouthed an open what as she thought about her son's question. "Silent treatment huh? Well, I've known about it for a few days and I'm confused. You see I ran into Nicole at the mall here, and she approached me with this tall tale that you and her dad are seeing each other now."
Sharon turned around in her seat trying to catch sight of Andy but he was already out of view. "Listen honey, I'm at work and I can't dive into this right now."
"Mom, I'm just going to say this before you hang up."
"Remember I raised you to stay out of everyone's business." She warned.
"I'm just saying the dude's an alcoholic, and that kid you have staying with you is probably using you. Dad's been gone for years now, and I know it's been hard since we flew the coop but mom stop enabling everyone around you."
"Richard, I'm warning you right now. I'm your mother. I'm the parent here, and my business is mine alone. That kid RUSTY needs me, and as far as Lieutenant Flynn NONE of that is any of your business."
"I love you mom." Ricky teased.
"I love you too."
So Andy told Nicole we are dating?
to be continued