A/N: Finally- a new chapter! I've been wanting to write this one since Pink Hearts & Green Clovers, so needed to take my time with it to get it right. Hence the delay... It may start out with Sharon & Castillo, but Vindy fans take heart- the Doc & Leftenant play a major role and have a lovely moment together at the end! And for more Shacas fun, please check out their sexy time in Pink & Blue: Deleted Scenes. Thank you for (hopefully) sticking with me, AND for your reviews- they make my day!
Crime scenes never got any easier, and the IED blast at the local area mall was one of the very worst.
It was shades of the Boston Bombing in 2013, as the fleeing suspects were caught on surveillance cameras, and a citywide manhunt for them was on.
If ever there was a Major Crime to have been committed in Los Angeles, this was it, so of course the team had been called in. Assistant Chief Russell Taylor had been speaking before the media all day, as had officials from the FBI.
Meanwhile, victims were taken to hospitals all around the city, with many in need of critically life saving surgeries.
And then, for the first time in hours, Captain Sharon Raydor smiled, as she pictured her very pregnant cousin, scrubbing in- against her own doctor's orders- to assist in whatever task was needed.
Baby was on board, yes, but Virginia Dixon, healer of hearts, was not one to sit on her hands in a time of need- and that fact was giving Lt. Flynn, her love, palpitations!
But what else was new?!
Virginia had been a doctor for way longer than she'd known Andy, and lived with AS for even longer...
Medicine and healing was how Dr. Dixon dealt with stress- and life...
By beating death.
And now, driving, Sharon was in search of her own re-boot of soul.
It just so happened that a certain very important package needed to be picked up, so the captain took a little detour on her way back to the office.
Gradually, the tensions in her neck and shoulders decreased, as the commercial scenery turned into the older, tree-lined residential neighborhood. It featured small and adorable 1940s bungalows in varying stages of upkeep, with modestly sized yards. Even if the homes were not in the most tip top of conditions, one could tell that the residents cared about each other, and others- as those who were outside were known to be friendly to passers by.
Sharon was no stranger to the neighborhood, as she'd been frequenting the area for months now.
She parked on the street and made her way towards the house. Building supplies filled the driveway and open garage, while Latin hip-hop blared from an ancient and paint spattered boom-box.
Several whistles and shouts of Mami, greeted her, along with the gentlemanly doffing of a cap by an elderly Chinese man standing outside his electrician's truck.
So much... Life...
It was good to see it continuing to go on, away from all the chaos.
"Where's the Old Man?"
Collective teasing laughs and giggles by the teens and young adults of the Casa Mia: L.A. program, were the general replies to Sharon's query, but one handsome young man stepped up to offer his own direction.
"He's inside, Captain, Ma'am. But why waste your time with a Viejo, when you can have all of this?"
Sharon smirked playfully at the come-on. "Because, Hot Dog, you can't handle any of this!"
A chorus of howls by the other kids only emphasized the boy's chastening, as Sharon patted him on his shoulder and moving on to enter the open front door of the house.
She found her lover in the modest entryway. He was painting a wall a peaceful shade of light blue-ish grey, and looked adorably deliberate in his actions. Despite his care, there were obvious smears of paint on his Carhart pants and chambray shirt. Flecks could even be seen in his hair, and the sight made Sharon giggle.
"Looks like someone is in need of their second shower of the day."
Castillo immediately dropped his paint roller into its tray, and huffed warmly. "So say we all."
"The house is coming along beautifully," Sharon declared, while her lover wiped his hands on his work pants.
"And, we're on track to meet our finish date."
"Good. When you're done with it, you can make one just like it, for us."
Castillo raised his brows at his lover's suggestion, and then cut the short distance between them. "Duly noted."
They kissed carefully, so as not to get wet paint on Sharon's leather suit jacket, which was paired with a silky pink shell and skirt. Eventually, her fancy heels settled between his scuffed boots, and all thoughts of paint- wet or otherwise, were forgotten, and their kiss deepened to the point that neither Sharon nor Castillo was aware that a small audience was watching them making out in the foyer!
A throat cleared...
A baby squealed...
And Rusty Beck couldn't help but snark, "Puh-leez! There are impressionable children watching!"
The couple broke apart instantly, and when their eyes both fell on their granddaughter Kacey, who was squirming in Rusty's arms, the race was on as to claim the child first.
Sharon won, and snuggled the little towhead in her arms and breathed in her sweet scent.
"Sorry, Old Man... I guess we know who Mom really loves most."
Castillo mock-glared at Rusty, before moving in to place a tender kiss on the top of Kacey's head, as she tugged on Sharon's red tresses.
And then Sharon set her sights on the tall, wiry man standing with Rusty. He was eyeing her and Castillo, with a bemused expression on his face. Nearly bald, and in work clothes, the man began chuckling to himself, before finally speaking.
"As I live and breathe, I never thought I'd live to see the day that Martin Castillo would be reduced to a puddle of mush, but here we are."
Sharon thinned her lips, ready to take on the newcomer, but when Castillo began laughing as well, she understood the playful jab.
They'd had countless near-misses over the last few months...
Spoken ever so briefly on the phone...
And now, they were face-to-face.
"Saul Tigh, it's good to see you. Finally."
"Same here, Captain."
They shook hands, and Sharon couldn't help but notice the man's twinkle in his one, good eye. For a reportedly hard-wired, ex-CIA agent, that was also a recovering alcoholic, Saul Tigh looked amazingly chilled out and at ease. All he needed was a flowered shirt, and he could be one of Jimmy Buffet's Parrotheads.
Working with the Casa Mia kids on the houses, seemed to have had as much of a healing effect on him, as it did her own lover.
"The thought occurred to me the other day, that Marty and I ought to have you and your wife- Ellen, is it? over for dinner some night."
While Castillo paled, Saul Tigh practically blushed.
"Yes! Ellen and I would enjoy that very much. She's been yappin' since we got to L.A., about meetin' the lady who finally snared the Old Man- so you name the time and date, and we'll be there."
"But you've got the new case... the bombing," Castillo nearly whined to his lady, as Kacey made a play for her glasses.
"True, but I do have to eat at some point," Sharon calmly returned. "You and Rusty can do all of the cooking- as usual, while I'll buy some gorgeous flowers, and then show up just in time to greet our guests."
Rusty was loving the gentle jousting between The Parents, while Kacey was being over-the-top cute in order to gain their attention. The tot wanted desperately to play with her Abu's glasses too, and he kept having to push them back up his nose after she'd reach out and grab at them. Castillo was a total Bad Ass, and only Kacey- or Sharon could have dared such a move.
In the end, Sharon won out, and tentative plans for dinner on Friday were made.
"It's your funeral," Castillo told Sharon as he walked her and Kacey out to her car.
"Ellen can't be as bad as you say she is."
"Ah, but she is."
Once their granddaughter was locked into her car seat, Sharon drew Castillo into her arms and finished what Kacey had tried to do earlier.
Seeing him without his wire rims made her remember the man she met twenty years in the past, and how they'd both grown and matured. He was as sexy now as he was then- if not more so, and the way that he looked at her told Sharon that Castillo felt the same.
"It'll be fine, Marty," she promised, while holding his glasses in one hand, and his face in her other. "You'll see."
"You promise?"
She loved these private moments between them... the ones in which he felt at such ease with her as to share his vulnerable side and self doubts.
"I do."
Castillo smiled, hopefully.
"You do?"
Sharon's heart melted at his tone, and she couldn't help but hum affirmatively.
And then she kissed him like there was no tomorrow.
If she could've, she would've eaten her words.
Sharon's failed promises to Castillo would not have tasted nearly as good as the Indian feast that he'd prepared for their little dinner party, but she would have tried.
Saul Tigh was a rascal...
The man told the bawdiest jokes, and shared page-turning accounts of his CIA days- including missions that overlapped with Castillo's DEA. Their mutual colleague Jack Gretsky was no longer alive, but Saul made him very real to Sharon and Rusty.
"You would enjoy his widow, Nadia," the retired-agent told his hostess.
Castillo nodded in agreement, but then added, "However she did stab me with a sword, the last time I saw her."
Sharon paled. "Oh my."
But it was Saul Tigh's wife, Ellen, who was the actual star of the dinner party. She was a trip and a half, and one had only to meet her once to understand why.
Castillo had often said that the outrageous blond woman brought out the best- and worst in his friend. Saul clearly loved his wife, dearly, and one could assume the same of her.
But it was hard to tell, as she'd been constantly flirting with Castillo- and even Rusty, at every chance possible.
Rumor had it, she'd slept with half the new recruits at Langley, while her husband had been away on top secret missions...
Castillo said the couple had legendary fights, but always got back together in the end. And now that Saul was officially retired, it looked like he and Ellen were back on, and for good...
Or bad.
In the here and now of the moment, there was a little fact regarding the two bottles of wine the couple had brought. Both had been presented as gifts, but Sharon figured that the couple had drunk at least one of the bottles between them, and possibly a third of the second.
This, as Saul was in recovery!
Sharon felt for the man, as his wife was clearly the enabler to his addiction, and for as much as Ellen loved him in return, she was not helping his situation at all.
But Mrs. Tigh was not without a sense of polite sensibilities.
Such as they were...
"Let me just say, Sharon- that even though I am a newly transplanted Angelin-a, I think that I speak for the greater L.A. area, when I say thank you- for catching those horrible, homicidal maniacs who bombed that shopping mall, earlier in the week. You saved us- you saved us all from further fear and possible death. And now it's safe to go back to the Grove!"
Rusty's eyebrows shot up to his scalp, as he'd not seen his mother at such a loss for words. Ever.
"Thank you, Ellen," Sharon replied finally, after a good long beat. "But the LAPD cannot take all the credit- the FBI was also very instrumental in catching the un-subs. It's not always an easy task, working with another organization- as both Marty and Saul know, but we did it. And yes, it's safe to go shopping again."
"Tell that to our credit cards!"
Castillo couldn't help but smile into his napkin, at his friend's sharp retort. Saul and Ellen both exploded into infectious laughter, and before long the rest of the table joined in.
"Yes," Ellen agreed, through her own happy tears. "Our men were valiant patriots in their jobs. Saul and I never got to enjoy parenthood, because of it- but I'm so glad that Marty is doing so, finally."
Sharon smiled in agreement, as her man excused himself to fetch their dessert and much needed coffee. Banana bread pudding and Cuban coffee rounded out their meal, which had consisted of lamb curry, naan, and a cool cucumber salad. Rusty had been a great sous chef, and even helped out by serving alongside his mentor.
Sharon loved the all of the positive changes in the boy, due in part to her lover's influence- and hers, of course, and couldn't help but smile a thin line of rose, as Rusty jumped up to eagerly help out- and get a breather from Ellen's wandering foot!
It was clear that Mrs. Tigh was as fascinated by Captain Raydor, as she was of her...
Both women had been sizing each other up all night, and Sharon was ready for the other Alpha's claws to come out- even if it was unintended.
Darth Raydor couldn't help but grill Mrs. Tigh, just a bit, and learned that the woman was not exactly the bubble-head that she led people to think she was. As it turned out, Ellen had been quite involved in child welfare and women's empowerment organizations, back East, and looked forward to doing the same in L.A. Sharon made a mental note to put her in touch with Andrea Hobbs, who sat on the board of a girl's mentorship program, and decided to hold back on her own judgements of the woman.
"You've made that guy very happy, Sharon... giving him a family... by way of your children."
Sharon wasn't sure if and how much the Tighs knew of her and Castillo's past, but that pain was always there for her beneath the surface. She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded gracefully. "Yes, well..."
Sensing his hostess' distress, Saul jumped in to try to reign in his wife. "Aw, Ellen, you keep forgetting about Zak and Kara. Marty's been a papa for years, thanks to them... God rest Zak's soul."
Ellen nodded thoughtfully, and then apologized appropriately. "Those kids were a handful," she confided to Sharon, who hummed good naturedly. "Zak was a beautiful boy- and Kara was-"
"Kara," Sharon surmised.
Ellen snorted with laughter. "When Marty brought the kids home to live with him, Kara saw that he had a bidet and immediately thought he was the richest man in all of Miami!"
Rusty laughed out loud, from the kitchen, at that!
"I always thought it was a shame that you and May-Yi never had one, Marty," Ellen purred over her shoulder to Castillo. "That would've been such a cute kid." Then to Sharon, Ellen continued, "May-Yi was a very sweet girl."
Sharon nodded politely, despite her lover's unease, as he and Rusty returned to the table. Castillo rarely spoke of his ex, as she also mentioned Jackson Raydor as little as possible.
"It's wonderful that she's not really dead, as we previously thought. What's she doing now, Marty?"
Castillo winced on his own coffee, before replying with all honesty, "The last I heard she'd become a nun, serving in South America."
The entire table went utterly silent, until Rusty finally chimed in, "Well, I guess after you've been with the Old Man, only Christ is left."
Sharon shot Rusty a Darth Raydor glare, as the Tighs both saluted him.
But then, the young man redeemed himself fully, and most honestly.
"I've never seen my mom happier- and the same goes for me. So, I'm really glad things didn't work out with Marty and May-Yi. Because then he found Sharon- and then he raised Zak and Kara. She already had Ricky and Emily... and now I'm here, and so is little Kacey- and Cousin Virginia's having a kid with Lt. Flynn, and everything's the Best."
Sharon and Castillo were both moved to near-tears, as the Tighs were rendered speechless.
"May I be excused?" Rusty quietly asked Sharon, after he'd practically inhaled his dessert.
She nodded, knowing full well that her son would be texting about their dinner, non-stop with Gus, and possibly Ricky, Emily, and Kat.
"Marty speaks highly of your cousin, Virginia, and I've come to know her man Flynn," Saul pronounced. "He's a good egg- and a fine cop , I'm sure."
"That he is," Sharon confirmed. "Andy and Virginia are extremely happy, and we are all anxiously awaiting their little one."
Castillo huffed warmly. "We love babies."
Sharon met his gaze from across the table, and her heart melted.
"May I tell them?" she asked over her own coffee. "Or do they already know?"
Castillo all but beamed. "No, go right ahead."
Saul cocked an eyebrow, and Ellen looked equally intrigued..
Then, with clasped hands to contain her brimming joy, Sharon revealed, "Marty and I are going to be grandparents again- Kara's pregnant again!"
The Tighs each congratulated the couple, with regulation kudos, which Sharon and Castillo accepted graciously.
"If truth be told, when Marty and I found each other again, in Miami, the very last thing I wanted to do was get into a relationship. But then..."
"Kara had just given birth to Kacey, and..."
"That closed the deal."
Sharon hummed at the irony of her man's choice of words. They were complete, and totally true. She loved him, and their family, so very much.
And that love was why she did what she did. Her work- the very thing that took her away from them, was done to ultimately protect them- and other families, from harm.
Martin Castillo built houses, and took care of babies...
While Captain Sharon Raydor caught bad guys, and put them to justice...
Its what they did, and it made for a pretty great life.
Saul Tigh reiterated that, later, as he and his wife stumbled out the door and down to their waiting Uber.
Once the couple was gone, Sharon and Castillo could finally exhale.
"Oh my gods, Marty- you were right!"
Her man chuckled like warm gravel, as he pulled Sharon into his arms. "I told you."
"Are they going to be okay?"
Castillo sighed thoughtfully at Sharon's concern for his friends. "Yes. I've seen Saul drunk, and he was actually quite sober tonight."
"Well, Ellen make The Real Housewives look like a bunch of nuns!"
"May-Yi included."
Sharon couldn't help but giggle with relief at her man's quip, and then Castillo joined in, and it wasn't long until they were kissing playfully and then passionately.
"Let's go to bed."
"But the dishes?"
Castillo grunted as he guided Sharon toward her room. "I made the mess, and will personally do them in morning... right now I need to make this evening up to you."
Captain Raydor liked the sound- and feel of that, and said no more.
"Leftenant, I do not want to look at anymore houses. There is no perfect home."
Andy took Virginia's hand in his, as they crossed the tree lined street. "I know, right? But Sharon and Marty said to meet them here. I think it's the first project of Casa Mia: L.A., and they want to show it off."
Virginia smiled gamely, and cupped her swollen tummy. If anything, it was good to get out. Since her brief foray back into the OR, following the recent bombing, she'd resumed her maternity leave, and being cooped up again was driving her a tiny bit nuts.
The bungalow was certainly charming, from the outside. It was painted a neutral grey with clean white trim. A wide front porch was extremely welcoming, with a swing, American flag, and a painted front door in red.
Sharon and Castillo awaited them, on the other side of an actual picket fence!
"What is this?" Andy asked incredulously. "An HGTV show?"
Castillo groaned, and Sharon rolled her eyes, as she hugged her cousin.
"Please, come inside," the captain gently ordered the couple. "I think you're going to really like it."
And they did.
While there were obvious signs of updating with open flow of the kitchen-dining-living areas, there were classic signs of Craftsman design in the built-ins, and transoms over the inner doors of the home. The living area was beautiful and homey, with a sofa in charcoal microfiber, cozy red side chairs, and an oversized wicker auto-man that served as a coffee table. The flooring was distressed hardwood throughout, and the kitchen was an absolute sight to behold!
Andy whistled at the farmhouse sink, and Virginia appreciated the quartz countertops with just the right amount of subtle sparkle.
Just like her man's beautiful eyes!
There was a mudroom just off the kitchen, along with a dedicated nook for laundry.
And a sweet little guest bath that included a clawfoot tub, with a handheld shower sprayer.
Sharon was excited to show them the Master, which had actually been two smaller bedrooms, prior to the renovation.
It was lovely and serene, with an inviting palate, and a big king-size bed with lots of pillows. A generous walk in closet preceded a spa-like bath, which included a double vanity, shower, and a private water-closet.
French doors led to a charming fenced-in backyard with a willow tree in one corner, and soft grass that begged to be played on.
"And there's a tiny little private office upstairs," Sharon noted with a giggle. "The kids somehow got a desk up there, and even a daybed."
Andy whistled. "Wow! The investors are gonna be impressed! Buyers will be fighting over this house."
Virginia hummed in agreement. "It is perfect."
Sharon hummed too, and then hugged her cousin gently. "It is perfect- and it's yours and Andy's- if you want it."
It took a moment for Virginia to process what Sharon had said, as all of the events were slightly overwhelming. But once everything sank in, she pulled back and met her cousin's gaze and knew the truth.
Virginia then turned to Andy, who actually looked like he might cry. They embraced, and kissed without shame.
Both felt like little kids, once they were able to face Sharon and Castillo. Excitement rendered the couple nearly speechless, but Andy did his best to express their appreciation.
"I have no idea what all this cost, but this is the most perfect home, and we can pay whatever it takes-"
"We'll settle that later, Flynn," Castillo cut in with warmth.
Sharon giggled in agreement, and then added, "Marty and I just want you to have the perfect Forever Home. And now that we know it fits the bill, we can show you one more little surprise."
There was one room left out in the initial tour, and Sharon took Virginia's hand and guided her toward it, while the men followed a few paces behind.
A closed door, next to the Master awaited, with a sign that read:
GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT
The cousins shared a quiet moment, as Sharon placed a hand on Virginia's tummy. The baby kicked with excitement, and it made both women smile all the way to their bottle green eyes.
Virginia had never been one for surprises, but knowing that her beloved Sharon was behind this one gave her total confidence.
Gamely, she opened the door...
And found the most perfect nursery.
A room-wide mural of a sweetly sophisticated beach scene, complete with dunes and grasses, a lighthouse, sailboats, and teddy bears in old-time beach garb, graced the walls, while clouds and recessed lighting graced the ceiling. A beautiful white-washed crib was centered in the middle of the room, with a matching dresser and changing station nearby. Large shaded windows bathed the room in warm natural light, while an antique rocker and shelves of books beckoned.
Sharon's heart swelled, as she watched her cousin take everything in. "Kara Thrace did the mural, and clouds on the ceiling. I told her how much you loved the beach, and missed how it looks in Seattle- so she made it happen here."
Virginia nodded, and wiped away a solitary tear, as Sharon noted the tiny LED lights in the ceiling that- at night, could be turned on and dimmed or brightened, to serve as a constellation of stars above. The feature was a nod to Virginia's first date with Andy, at the Griffith Observatory, and was absolutely magical.
Andy joined Virginia, as they explored the room together, while Sharon and Castillo looked on.
"Mission accomplished?"
Sharon smiled, as she leaned into Castillo's embrace from behind. No matter the bad forces- or even wacky friends like the Tighs, which were out there in the world, it was always a blessing to be able to come home to a little piece of Heaven, with the one you loved. Andy and Virginia had that now, and could look forward to welcoming their little one into that peace.
"Absolutely..."