"Okay, so you're good at English-"

"Your paper sucks, Rusty."

"Then help me!"

"You won't listen to me."

The cop taking them to the station let out a small laugh as he glanced at them in the rearview mirror. The Major Crimes division wasn't the only officers who had grown attached to the kids, but patrol and traffic had as well. Rusty was funny and Riley was sweet. They may have not been happy about what the squad car did to their social lives, but they were accepting and compliant.

"This is your stop," Officer Brady told the kids as he pulled up in front the of the building.

"Thanks. See ya later!" Riley called as she opened the door and Rusty crawled out behind her.

"Really, Riley. You can write a paper in no time and I can do your math!" Rusty pleaded as they walked out of the elevator.

"You already wrote the paper!" she reminded him. "And I already did my math homework."

Sharon looked exhausted already as the twins walked toward her. Rusty already had his paper in hand and Riley was carrying all her books against her chest. "Any of you have a minute? I'm in the middle of a major crisis," Rusty announced and Riley rolled her eyes.

There environment turned sober and Sharon's eyebrows creased in concern. "Does this crisis involve another letter?"

Rusty blinked and Riley punched him in the arm for worrying them. "Uh, no." Sharon visibly relaxed and Rusty moved in offering her the paper. "We were forced to write this essay for a college entrance exam and my English teacher completely tore mine apart."

Sharon had always been very involved with their education and Buzz was paid good money to help the kids out to make sure nothing held them back from doing well and making something for themselves in the future. Still, she had just been brought a man who was wearing bloody clothing and seeming to know the police runaround better than she would like.

"This doesn't seem like a crisis," she said slowly and offering him a patient smile.

Riley scoffed and Buzz leaned toward Sharon. "You haven't read he essay."

Great. "Oh no. I don't really have time to look at it right now. I'm sorry, Rusty. Maybe Riley-"

"He won't listen to me," she told her foster mother seeming truly annoyed.

Sharon gave both the children exasperated looks and suddenly they felt guilty. She did look really tired and Sharon wouldn't brush them off if she wasn't doing something really important. "Get something to eat and I'll be back as soon as I can," she promised.

They both nodded and moved to take a seat at Andy's desk. Phantom had fallen into step with them, now waiting in the murder room for her humans rather than the down the hall in her appropriate area. Even the officer that actually owned her was beginning to question if she had given her heart to someone else.

"Hey, girl!" Riley said happily scratching the dog's ears as Sharon and the rest of her squad moved back toward the media room. They were immediately stopped and told that they were not allowed in.

Buzz looked almost like he was going to cry as the man shut the door behind him and left Sharon and the others on the wrong side.

"You can't listen to a client with their attorney," said an unfamiliar man probably in his late twenties. He was boyishly handsome and Riley even seemed to blush looking at him.

Rusty pointed at him and mouthed to his sister. Who is that. She merely shrugged. Whoever he was, he already seemed to be on Sharon's nerves. It was even kinda early for her to be this impatient.

"Isn't that a civil right violation?" he asked. It seemed like an honest enough question that was punctuated with a smile that was suppose to reveal boyish charm. Something that Sharon had no time for.

She didn't even trust herself to reply so she turned around and gave Andy one of her looks, telling him to handle the situation before she killed the poor man.

"Actually, Shakespeare, it's not. We are following the law. And if you don't believe me, you can look it up." Andy's eyes shot at Lieutenant Tao. "Want to help him out Mike? He's your friend."

Tao grabbed a book out of his filing cabinet and flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for. He held it out for the young man to read. "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstructing Terrorism Act of 2001?" he said questionably.

"Otherwise known as the USA Patriot Act," Tao explained.

The man seem impressed. "It's an acronym?"

Rusty and Riley blinked at each other. It was news to them too.

"Oh yeah. Someone was very proud the day they thought of it," Provenza added.

"It gives all government agencies to survey all criminal activities if they suspect terrorism," Tao told him.

Just then Provenza answered his phone and seemed thoroughly annoyed already. Riley reached into her backpack and pulled out her history book, not feeling like procrastinating on homework. The sooner she got it done, the sooner she could unwind with some music and playing with Phantom.

Sharon growled and braced herself against the door frame. "We could be saving someone's life but instead we're standing here doing nothing."

Rusty took his opportunity and jumped up, knocking Riley's book to the ground when he bumped into her. "Dammit, Rusty," she grumbled picking it back up and flattening the now bent pages.

"Language, Riley," Sharon scolded as Rusty hurried toward her.

"So, as I was saying. I have to do this practice essay over again just because in Sister Mary's dumb opinion my subject was inappropriate. She gave me the topic!" he told his foster mother as she took the paper from his hands.

"'Write about the person in your life that's influenced you the most,'" Sharon read aloud as she flipped open the paper.

Riley wanted to see her face when she read this. She knew it would be something quite memorable.

Buzz stepped up again. "I proofed it, just read the first line."

Sharon straightened a little to read the paper to the people surrounding her. Riley looked even more excited, ready to see everyone's face. "From the day I learned to tie my shoes the person who has exercised the most influence in my life is me."

Obvious Sharon wasn't expecting that and her head snapped back to Rusty while Andy gave him a questioning look and Sykes raised her eyebrow. Riley had to cover her mouth to keep from snickering.

But Rusty, Rusty looked like it was the best line he could have written up until he saw Sharon deflate with a light "oh".

"What?" he snapped. "It's true."

"Don't you think your mom have had some influence too?"

Every turned to look at the man who seemed completely unable to keep his mouth shut. Silent observer was something this man did not understand.

Sharon looked ready to really strangle the man.

"She's not my mom," Rusty said slowly. "Who are you anyway?"

Tao jumped up before his little friend got murdered in the police station. "This is Jason, he's a TV writer."

Rusty's interest and hostility died. "Oh! What show?"

Jason opened his mouth, but Tao jumped in for him. "It's not on yet."

Rusty nodded a bit while Riley made her way toward her brother. "I told him it wouldn't fly but he didn't believe me."

Sharon rubbed her eyes, but Jason jumped in again. "Oh, so she's your mom."

The red blush to Riley's cheeks made Andy a little irritated at the guy. Anytime anyone made Riley uncomfortable his poppa bear came out and he knew better than to let it show at the moment. Sharon could almost sense his protectiveness and she met his gaze over the children's heads.

"Uh... no. I'm his," she thrust her finger at Rusty, "sister."

Then they went back to ignoring the man, hoping he'd stay quiet this time. Rusty reversed and decided to explain himself. "Yes, I know my essay is a little edgy for nuns. But I'm suppose to write about my life and that is what I did."

"Rusty," Sharon sighed. As much as she adored this boy, he could be so hardheaded sometimes. "This essay makes you sound arrogant and conceded."

Rusty blinked in surprise. "Arrogant?"

His foster mother held up the paper for him to take. "You are rewriting this."

"Sharon-" he began but she cut him off.

"Oh no. Do you want to keep your laptop and your cell phone?" she shot at him making Rusty's jaw drop.

"You can't take my things away from me!"

"They are not your things, they are my things, and you can only keep them while making mature decisions," she said sharply. Her eyes darted at Riley for a moment as though to mentally check to see if Riley had bad news to tell her while she was on her lecture train. She took a deep breath and continued. "Which in this case means following. the instructions. of your teacher."

She turned around for a moment to take a deep breath when Jason added, "You sure she's not your mom?"

"This is completely unfair! You never get onto Riley for her paper topics," Rusty shot at her.

Sharon gave him a long look before looking at Riley. "May I see your paper as well?" Riley hesitated and Sharon frowned. "Riley..."

The girl slowly moved toward her backpack. "Umm.. Can I opt out of this argument by saying Sister Mary had no problem with mine?"

Sharon held her hand out, bluntly stating the answer was no. The girl shift and reached into her bag and pulled out her own paper. "Same topic?" Sharon asked and Riley nodded.

As soon as Sharon flipped open the paper and opened her mouth, Riley jump forward. "Don't read it out loud."

Sharon looked down at the paper and read the first sentence silently before moving on to reading the entire introduction and frowning a little, understanding why Riley wanted her to keep hers quiet. Obviously Riley's wasn't meant for anyone but the teacher to read and it made Sharon a little upset with herself she pushed her to give it to her.

"Well, Riley certainly avoided the arrogant tone," Sharon said dryly as she offered the paper back. "Just rewrite it, Rusty."

Jason looked up from the book he was reading. "You're using the word influence wrong... do you happen to have a dictionary?"

Rusty sighed and nodded. "Yeah. It's-it's back here."

The two of them left and Riley looked back at Sharon. "Can I do homework in your office?"

The answer was a small nod followed by an apologetic look. "I'm sorry about asking for your paper. I should have just taken the fact Sister Mary accepted it as enough."

Riley merely shrugged before moving toward Sharon's office. Sharon ran a hand down her face and shook her head. She was getting really tired and her short temper was apparent because of it. Even then, she didn't have enough time to think about it, she had to get this case finished.

As the days past and she kept thinking about Riley's paper. When Rusty had finished his final draft of his own, she had a similar response. This kids had been through hell. Their mother's influence had really hurt them and now they were living with the consequences of other people's choices. It may sound bad, but sometimes she was able to forget. In her head she could play pretend and Rusty and Riley were her kids.

She wasn't sure why she did it. She hadn't the slightest clue. One minute she was talking to the captain of Robbery/Homicide and the next minute she was signing papers.

Actually, she did know why she did it, but she really couldn't believe she did.

"You're serious?" Riley asked carefully, knowing better than to show an expression.

"You really did it?" Rusty asked in a similar was.

Andy stood in the living room of her apartment close to laughing at the torn expression on Sharon's face. She honestly couldn't believe what she had done but it was too late now.

Phantom ran to Riley in the middle of Sharon's living room and started nudging at her to get her attention. "She's ours?"

Sharon nodded. "I had all the ownership paper signed over to me and she is now a resident of our modest abode." Then her hand shot up and her eyebrows raised. "But, she can't get on the furniture, including beds, and no feeding her table food."

The last comment she made sure to aim at Andy.

Riley and Rusty we both on the floor with her, playing and petting. They seemed completely beside themselves with happiness an after a second Riley jumped up into Sharon's arms and hugged her tight. "Thank you so much!"

Sharon returned the hug and peck Riley's cheek. "She sleep in your room, missy."

Riley nodded anxiously and went back to playing with the new member of the odd family.

"You got them a police trained German Shepherd?" Andy asked obviously finding humor in the whole thing.

Sharon had rehearsed the answer to this. "The kids need protection and companionship and Phantom offers both."

Andy just laughed at her. "You're too cute," he told her moving closer to her and grabbing her hips. He pulled them together and she pouted at him.

"Cute. I don't think I like that word," she told him. "I'm just cute?"

He loved the way she looked when she was playing with him. "Beautiful, sexy, mine."

She glanced in the living room where Riley was laying on the floor with Phantom watching TV and Rusty had migrated into his room for the moment. She tried not to do any PDA in front of the kids. They already had a mother that probably did enough of that.

Sharon leaned in and kissed his lips. "You should be going," she hummed but continued kissing him. "You told your ex-wife you'd be there at seven."

"You mean I don't get to play with the dog too?" he complained playfully enjoying their conversation.

"You want to be a good dad to your daughter during her wedding, you need to go," she told him finally pulling away from his lips. She couldn't help but smile at the pitiful look he gave her. "Don't look at me like that, you know you have to go."

He kissed her one last time, savoring her taste and running his hands along her sides. When he pulled away, he tossed her one of those classic grins before heading toward the door. "Bye Rusty!" he called down the hallway.

Riley pouted as she watched him go. "You're leaving? I thought you were going to make French Toast in the morning."

He ruffled her hair before doing a similar gesture to the dog. "I'll probably be back before you wake up. Don't worry, I'll make ya breakfast."

Sharon watched the way he interacted with Riley. It was similar to the way Provenza interacted with Rusty. Andy was the first male to earn Riley's trust and Provenza was for Rusty. Riley looked truly sad to know her favorite person was leaving.

After Andy fainted the other day from his high blood pressure, he had made an effort to be more like the person he was when he was at home with them. Sharon knew something was up when he snapped at her at work, but she never said anything. When he fainted in the murder room, she almost lost it. She was so scared and when he woke up he was lightly out of it, calling her gorgeous in front of all their coworkers. They all found it funny instead of suspicious.

Riley had been very worried, so had Rusty, but Riley greeted him with a big hug when she found out something had happened.

"At least you guys got Phantom now. She'll do my job while I'm gone."

Sharon felt her heart flutter a bit when Andy nudged Riley. "She'll look after you guys and help Sharon keep you in line."

Riley smiled and got up to give him a hug when he left. Rusty came dashing in just before the door closed, calling out his own goodbye.

Sharon sat back down on the couch and curled her legs underneath her. She casually looked at Rusty. "So... how's Kris?"

Rusty immediately stiffened and Riley tilted her head. Kris and Riley had actually become really good friends. No one knew Rusty better than Riley and she knew he was not attracted to Kris in the same way Kris was attracted to him.

"Fine..." Rusty said slowly. "She's really helping me with my English stuff."

The very thing that his sister could have been helping him with, so Sharon was confused about his intentions. Did he really just want to make sure Emma knew he had roots now so he couldn't just be yanked up and put in the Witness Protection System? He was a smart boy, but that couldn't be just it.

"Kris is cool," Riley told Sharon easily. "Her parents lets her do almost whatever she wants."

There was a moment that Sharon caught her eye and the underlying message. "Sorry. I've never been good at being a cool mom," she told them easily. She was always sure to ask almost too many questions about people that were around the twins. Her kids were fairly used to it by the time they hit their teenage years. They may have rolled their eyes, but the twins were almost entertaining when she started asking questions. Their snarkiness was more fun than it used to be since it was in good humor now.

Still, Sharon noticed the slight wince Riley had when she tossed her hair off her shoulder. She had been living there long enough that she could pick up just about any signs of Riley's headaches coming on and that was one of them.

"You need to take some medicine and go to sleep, honey," Sharon told her, getting to her feet to pull some high grade migraine relief out of the cabinet and Riley's usually medicine too.

"Oh, please let me stay up," Riley pleaded. "It's not that bad. It's just a little twinge."

Sharon shook her head. "You know that the lights will start making you sick. Bed."

Riley grumbled a bit but called for the dog to follow her. She took her medicine and mumbled and irritable goodnight to her foster mother, confirming that Sharon had succeeded in pissing the girl off.

She and Rusty stayed up until about ten before they too said their goodnights and headed off to bed. She stopped to check on Riley who was sound asleep.

It was hard for her to get to sleep at first, her body missing the warmth of Andy next to her. But when she fell asleep, it was a fairly deep sleep.

Rusty jolted awake at the sound of his door knob wiggling. He always locked his bedroom at night. It was just habit. It made him feel safe. Sharon never just tried to open the door. Normally she would knock on the door before she did anything. She would never just try to open the door. She knew better.

He jumped out of bed and there was the sound of something in the kitchen. He slid out of the room and silently moved down the hall to Sharon's bedroom. He pushed the door open and slid his hand over her mouth.

She gasped as the feeling of someone covering her mouth, startling herself away. Rusty shushed her. "There's someone in the house," he whispered urgently.

Immediately she sat up, listening. "Riley in her bedroom?" she asked him as she reached for her gun.

Honestly he didn't check so he just shrugged. "She wouldn't try to open the door..."

Sharon nodded. "Stay here," she told him. "I'll check on Riley and do not leave this room. Do you understand me?"

The boy nodded, obviously afraid. She slowly opened her bedroom door, careful to not make a sound with it. As she inched her way down the hallway, she could hear the low growl up Phantom, ready to protect her master. Already, Sharon was glad she got the damn dog.

Silently she continued to move down the hallway, her gun raised and the safety off. She was completely prepared to shoot someone to protect her kids if she had to and after the threats, she was dreading this moment. The light was on in the kitchen and she paused as the phone rang.

"Raydor residence."

The voice was too familiar and Sharon immediately knew who it was, but she still had half a notion to shoot the intruder. She continued her way into the kitchen, gun still in hand but lowered, to find the refrigerator door open.

"She's asleep at this moment," the intruder continued as she gritted her teeth. "This is her husband. May I ask who's calling?"

She kicked the door shut and raised her gun, pointing at Jack Raydor. Her good for nothing husband. It pleased her a bit to see him fearful before he realize it was her. It also pleased her to be looking at him down the barrel of her gun. She had imagined that many times.

He let out a breath and laughed lightly as he raised his hands. "I surrender."

Grudgingly she lowered her weapon and clicked the safety on without taking her glare off of him. "Jack... what are you doing here?" She was sure to pronounce each word very clearly, so he had no excuse not to understand her question.

"I have a key, remember?" he asked as she tossed her gun on the counter. It wasn't safe for her to have a loaded weapon in her hands when he started talking. Then he looked at the phone. "Oh, and Provenza for you."

Yeah, for me, she thought. Because I live here and you don't!

"I can't believe he's still around!" Jack added as she took the phone.

Apparently Major Crimes caught a late nighter, which explained why Andy wasn't in her bed. Which in the end became a blessing. Jack would probably either have a fit or use her and Andy's illegal relationship against them. Or both. Probably both.

"Jack, what are you doing here at three AM without calling me?" she snapped as Provenza put her on hold.

He gave her a confused look. "Who calls at three AM?"

But she just glared in return and watched as he started to unload grocery bags he apparently brought with him.

Suddenly Rusty came running in the room, wielding her lamp and ready to strike. He was still in a mad panic and Sharon immediately reached out to calm him. "Rusty!"

"Sharon, who the hell is this?" he asked trembling in fear.

She felt terrible and even more angry at Jack. Damn him!

"Took the words right outta my mouth, young fella," Jack commented, already coming around the counter toward him. "Careful where you point that lamp. I'm Jack, Sharon's husband."

Jack didn't give her time to jump in, just continued. "I was going to take a few things to... I guess it's your room now, and it was lock so I came back to the kitchen to put my food in the fridge before crashing in the other guest room, I guess."

"Sharon?" A sleepy voice pulled their attention to Riley rubbing her eyes and walking down the hallway with Phantom at her heels looking very alert. "What's going on?"

Her hands were on her head and that told Sharon her headache was still there. Just before Sharon could sweetly tell Riley to go back to bed, Jack leaned over the counter and saw the girl standing at the end of the hall with a large dog. The dog growled when she saw him, probably sensing that his man was not welcome.

"And who are you?" he asked much too energetically for this time of night.

Riley flinched at the volume of his voice and looked at Sharon for an explanation. "Sweetie, go back to bed. I'll catch you up in a second. Alright?"

But Riley didn't move. "Who the hell are you?" she as the man, moving closer to Sharon.

"As I told this young man, I am Sharon's husband," he explained as he started putting his groceries in the fridge.

"Are you moving in or something?" she asked uneasily as she squinted her eyes against the light.

The moment Jack opened his mouth. Sharon answered for him. "No."

"Well I-"

"No."

"I got myself on the court appointed attorneys list here," he said looking at Sharon and wiggling his eyebrows.

Rusty and Riley were both very confused and Sharon was just pissed off. Probably more pissed off than they had ever seen her.

"You didn't... You are moving back to LA?" she said not seeming to believe his words.

He looked a little more nervous. "I thought I may bunk with you until I find my own place."

She glared at him. "You can stay on the couch for the two nights that I usually give you."

Suddenly she jumped at the sound on the other end of the phone. "Hello?" Then she turned around and looked at the twins just standing there staring at her. "Uh, excuse me." Placing her hand over the mouth piece she looked at them. "Rusty, put my lamp back and go to bed. Riley, there is some more medicine in my cabinet in my bathroom, you may take some and also go to bed."

They both moved down the hall and looked thoroughly confused. Rusty was the first to break the silence as he stopped at his door. "That's Sharon's husband?"

Riley just shrugged and rubbed her head. She didn't feel like she was even able to talk right then. "Night, Rusty," she said moving into Sharon's bedroom and toward her bathroom.

Sharon glared at her husband as she ended the phone call a couple minutes later. She wanted to rip his head off, but he just gave her that charming smile. "The couch?"

"Goodnight!" she snapped moving toward her bedroom.

She took another deep breath, but slowly let a smile take over her features as the sight of Riley curled up on her bed with Phantom already breaking the "no furniture" rule by sleeping on the end of the bed.

She could see her phone blinking with a new message and she didn't have to guess who it was from.

Not a good night? Provenza said your ex is there.-Andy

Taking another deep breath she replied to his message.

Looks like you may have to visit your bed for a couple nights. Your spot is currently taken. -Sharon

Of course she let him mull that over and his reply was almost instant.

You know I'm the jealous type. -Andy

Sharon slipped under the covers and was not surprised when Riley moved a little closer to her.

A young girl and her dog. I really need to see you so you can make my stress disappear. -Sharon

She was barely awake enough to read his final message.

Anything for you, beautiful.

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