Well this part suddenly became longer than I anticipated!

Thanks must be shouted again to all you amazing reviewers...you keep me going!

no warnings or preambles required for this next part...just fluff... I hope you enjoy!

Season 2 Episode 12 - Pick Your Poison

"Let me guess, he snuck out again?"

Sharon sighed heavily, she could almost hear the smile in his voice as she held her cell phone to her ear.

"I honestly don't know what he was thinking. Third time this week Andy, and right before his review! He's meeting with Taylor tomorrow and he pulls another stunt with 24 hours to go! How many times do I have to impress upon him the dangers he's exposing himself to?"

Andy sighed as he sat back in his recliner, one hand clutching an old worn baseball that was less a functioning piece of equipment and more a form of stress relief. Their conversation was a familiar one, over the month since the discovery of the letters it had been an uphill struggle to keep Rusty under control.

It was taking it's toll on Sharon by now, in the beginning she'd been determined, her resolve sealed as she laid down the new set of rules. If Rusty's intent was to wear her down it was working, her focus was keeping him safe and he was making it difficult for her to do that. Her nightly phone call's with Andy were almost all that was keeping her sane these days.

They'd known as soon as Taylor had approved a 24 hour security detail for Rusty that their relationship would have to slip back a little. Andy was spending every night at his own place and Sharon would easily admit that she missed his comfort, just spending quiet time together was enough to refuel her strength at the end of the day. Unfortunately she had to pull as much strength as possible from his voice alone, it was enough to sustain her but they both knew they'd be better together.

"Sharon he's a teenager, reason and logic are like a foreign concept."

"Oh come on this isn't about a broken curfew or punishment for going over his text limit it's his life, Andy." Sharon was pacing around the kitchen by now, finding any little thing to occupy herself.

"I know that! At least you know where to find him when he goes AWOL, you'd think by now the little psycho would think of somewhere more imaginative than the park!"

"I'm sorry, Andy. I don't mean to be so edgy and I shouldn't take it out on you." Sharon turned to lean against the kitchen counter top, one arm wrapping around her middle as she held her cell to her ear.

"Nah that's what I'm here for remember. Part of the boyfriend job description."

Sharon smiled at his words, he always had a way of making her mood evaporate, even just a little. "Did you watch the game with Provenza tonight?"

"Yeah, he dragged me down to O'Malley's but hey, they have good cheese fries."

"So much for the diet, Lieutenant."

"What's one bowl of cheese fries!" Andy paused for a moment, unsure of whether or not to proceed with his train of thoughts but the worst she could do was hang up on him. "Louie talked a little about tomorrow, he mentioned you'd asked him to act as Rusty's guardian."

"I did." Sharon replied, her voice small as her spare hand idly played with a loose thread on her cardigan.

"Why?"

"Because I'm too invested."

"Sharon..."

"I can see my involvement shifting Andy and I know there's nothing wrong with caring about Rusty like a mother should but in this case I just think I should take a step back."

"There's nothing more fierce than a mother protecting her child."

"But he's not my child, Andy, no matter how much we talk about him as if he were. I do love him, that isn't the issue here but all this...everything...lately, he needs to see that this is serious and he's not taking it seriously right now. Maybe sitting down with Taylor and Provenza will make him see it better."

"The kid's got some growing up to do. Getting his three options tomorrow might make him think more clearly."

"Two. Two options, Andy. There is no third option and I'd thank you to impress that upon Louie Provenza at your next convenience."

"Come on Sharon!"

"No! Two options. No more. I will not put him in that danger Andy. No."

"It might be the only way!"

"It's not."

"There's a creep out there and he's targetting you both! I know you haven't told Rusty about the letters you've gotten but come on Sweetheart, we have to catch this guy!"

"And we will, but it's not for Rusty to do. It's our job not his!"

Andy could almost feel her stress levels rising and the last thing he wanted was to upset her further. It hadn't been his intention but they were both on edge these days. He'd almost fumed when she'd told him about her first letter. A part of him was relieved that she hadn't hidden it from him but it still sent him into over drive, unleashing the protective side of him that wanted to hunt this jackass down and end this.

"We'll get him Sharon."

"I know we will. Do you think we could sneak lunch tomorrow or something? Just ten minutes even, I need some time just us."

Andy smiled as he tossed the baseball in his hand, his gaze briefly moving to the photograph on his end table, taken of the two of them at Nicole's wedding. "Whatever it takes."

Andy knew the moment he'd hung up with Sharon and seen the numerous missed texts from Louie and Tao, that lunch the following day was probably not going to happen.

The discovery of two dead teenage boys had taken priority on their case load and suddenly they had drugs and an inapropriate student/teacher relationship to contend with. All the while Sharon had to keep her feelings and opinions at bay regarding Rusty's review meeting with Chief Taylor.

Provenza had fuelled her mood by going against her wishes and mentioning option three in front of Rusty. As it turned out Chief Taylor had seen that as an opportunity to push her into a decision on the unspoken alternative. Apparently he was a little too chicken to run at it without Provenza pushing first.

Despite her reservations and her fears, she'd known it was inevitable. Even if Rusty hadn't lobbyed for his participation in a police action it would have happened anyway. They were running out of leads and it was quite clear it was their only option.

Still Sharon had stewed on it, throughout their investigation into the death of the two boys she was pre-occupied. Her mind wasn't in it and not for the first time she was grateful that her team were so good at their jobs. Otherwise it may have taken much longer to crack this case. In hindsight it was straightforward enough that together they had it wrapped up by the end of the day. When it came down to it the answer was pretty cliche'd, just one more example of a case in which Provenza could quite confidently state,

"The husband did it."

Rusty knew his foster mother was having a hard time with everything, he'd known her long enough to see through the shields she put up around a situation. When he really thought about it he could see why she was reluctant but he was through with feeling useless, and through with hiding from this asshole that was threatening him. Sure he wasn't thrilled that his only option was to consent to a psych evaluation, but he'd suck it up and do it, for her.

Contrary to what people might think of him, Rusty wasn't always thinking of himself. When he'd told Sharon that he loved her, awkward as it was, it was the truth. He knew it was starting to affect her, this whole Stroh mess. She hid it well, behind her carefully constructed persona. But he knew, he knew she was only just keeping it together.

And he knew what to do to make it better.

They hadn't been home long, Sharon had broken her usual routine and had brought the case file home to complete. The air in the condo was heavy as they negotiated a take out dinner, which the kid called in as Sharon changed into more comfortable clothes and got settled at her desk in the corner. Since their conversation in her office, there seemed to be nothing more to say and a silence had descended between them. It was not awkward simply, quiet.

Closing a case always brought a mixture of tension and relief for Sharon and this one was no different. A usually perceptive person, Sharon failed to notice the glances Rusty was throwing in her direction every few minutes as he sat on the couch, idlely playing with his phone.

She did notice however, when he jumped up from his seat and declared he was going to shower and if the food were to show up she should save him some. Sharon was still watching his retreating form when a knock resounded on the front door. If she thought his behaviour strange at first it suddenly began to make sense when she pulled open the door.

"Delivery for Raydor."

"Andy?"

For a moment she simply stared at him, standing in the doorway holding a takeout bag in one hand and a file in the other. Eventually her brain caught up with her and she pulled him into the apartment. Andy barely had time to register what was happening before her lips were on his, her hands in his hair. Though his hands were currently full it didn't stop him wrapping his arms around her, deepening the kiss as Sharon pressed herself against him.

"The kid texted me." Andy spoke as they pulled apart briefly.

Sharon nodded in response as she moved her hands to his cheeks and pulled him back in for another kiss. "I figured as much. What did you tell patrol?"

Andy smiled against her mouth as her words were lost in their kiss. "I casually tapped on their window and said I was here for a sleepover with my favourite Captain and they should certainly not disturb."

That earned him a glare, good natured though it was as Sharon laid her hand flat on his chest and pushed him back a little.

"Funny guy. Truth?"

Andy laughed and dropped a kiss to her forehead as he moved past her towards the kitchen, depositing the food on the counter as he passed. "I told them I had stopped by to work on some case files." For good measure he gestured to the file in his hand. It was already complete but they didn't need to know that.

"They believed that? From you?" Sharon raised one eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest as she leant against the partition wall.

Andy shrugged as he tossed the folder onto the counter. "I dropped into conversation that the kid needed some homework help and they've been watching him long enough to know that he likes takeout. It seemed plausible, especially since Rusty came up with it himself."

"He's a good kid." Sharon smiled, looking down at her bare feet for a moment.

"He's worried about you." Andy moved over to her, slipping his arms around her waist.

"I know."

"For some reason he thinks I can make you feel better."

Sharon smirked a little as her hands settled on his chest and her eyes met his. "He's not entirely wrong. Andy I miss you."

"I know. I miss you too Babe, but this isn't forever."

"Maybe I should just come clean with Taylor. File the paperwork and let this, us, be out in the open."

"We ready for that?"

"I don't know, are we?"

"If that's what you want to do then do it because of us, not because you feel you have to because of this whole situation we got going on. Either way I'm with you Sharon but, just know I'm still perfectly happy to have you all to myself."

"I'll think about it." Sharon nodded slowly, her fingers playing with his tie. "We can talk about it when we have more time."

Andy nodded, lifting one hand his fingers moved through her hair as he looked at her. It was hard on them, being apart, especially after they'd moved past that part of their relationship when hiding was essential, particularly from Rusty. Both of them had thought they were moving forward, going public was becoming something that they actually saw happening and now they were two steps back again.

They would handle it, together. Nobody said it wasn't going to be hard. The wisest said, if it wasn't hard work then it wasn't worth having.

The sound of Sharon's cell phone on the table behind them drew their attention. Without breaking too much contact she reached around Andy to pick it up. When she saw it was a text from Rusty she both rolled her eyes and grinned at the same time.

"There's no way I'm coming out of my room for the next hour. ipod is on, PDA rules apply, this is a one off pass and I never want to discuss this...ever."

Sharon turned the screen so that Andy could read it and she laughed along with him when he chuckled in response.

"I know me coming over was the kid's idea, but did he just set up a booty call?"

"You know I think he did."

"Best not waste his hard work then." For a long moment Andy held her gaze. Long enough so that when he lifted her, her squeal of surprise was completely genuine. They would make the most of the time they had, for neither of them knew when they would have another opportunity. It wasn't just about sex for either of them, they missed the intimacy of just being completely unguarded with another human being. They missed the domesticity of everyday life, the conversation and the banter. In truth they simply missed each other.

For the next couple of hours none of that mattered. They would forget the outside world even existed.

Before they did though, they both made a mental note to address the notion that maybe, just maybe, the kid may have redeemed himself for being such a pain in the ass lately.

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