While You're Making Other Plans

By Miss Shannon & Glistening Sun

Chapter 28

Sharon smiled back at him and placed a kiss to the side of his mouth as though he had just said something sweet rather than called her insane. She then proceeded to put her head back on his chest where it had been before she picked up the phone and cuddled into his side, humming happily.

"What, that's all? You can't be serious, Sharon!" Andy was aggravated. The kid from the rat squad! That was the worst choice. He'd rather have any one of those idiots from Robbery Homicide, hell, he'd make do with a goon from Traffic! How on earth where they supposed to work with Elliott when it had already taken them so long to break in Sharon? Not that it had taken very long, he'd been hopelessly in love with her after a few weeks, but that wasn't exactly an option for Elliott. And then he noticed that the woman in his arms hadn't even responded to his tirade and was instead reaching for his hand placing it on her belly, groaning as she moved to find a more comfortable position.

"Please tell me you did this to get back at Provenza and it's all just one big joke. You didn't really choose Elliott, did you?"

Andy waited for a reaction and when he didn't get one, he huffed as loudly as he could. That earned him a small chuckle and a kiss on the chest. It felt like she hugged him a little more tightly afterwards, pressing herself into him so he could feel the round outline of her belly. He huffed again, more quietly. This could have been a perfect afternoon: Sharon loved his house, they had a home again, she was lying in his arms, humming contentedly now – and she was carrying their baby. Life didn't get much better than that, he thought.

Except …. not an insignificant portion of his life took place at work. With the FID monkey.

"Elliott is FID through and through. I've dealt with him and he's the worst of the bunch! How can you possibly think that he's a good choice for Major Crimes? I sure understand why someone would want to get off the rat squad, I understand why you'd want to support him … but … you can't leave us alone with him!" The mental image of having to work with Elliott day in day out without her there were enough to make him start thinking really hard how to change her mind. He went quiet for a moment desperately searching for a way out.

Sharon's breath had already evened out the way it did just before she was falling asleep, when he shook her from her peaceful slumber. "Maybe … maybe when you're back, he can do a rotation with us! Then you can train him, and not Provenza. He's going to learn so much more from you, Sharon! Now, isn't that much better?" Andy was very proud of his flash of genius. If Sharon had decided the guy should work in Major Crimes, she wouldn't let it go, but at least this way she could deal with him. It might even work to his advantage, Andy realised. The young officer worshipped the ground Sharon walked on – much like he himself, although he refused to admit that parallel. Elliott would be perfect to keep an eye on her while the team was in the field. He could make sure she ate and drank – and went home in time. Hell, her little lapdog might even prove useful for something!

Sharon yawned and let her fingers trail over his chest and until they found their way back to his hand.

"Isn't that a great idea? Come on, Sharon, you've got to give me that!"

"Andy, honey," she said sleepily and with a hint of amusement, "I'm really not the right person to talk to. I'm officially on maternity leave. I'm just your fiancée now who happens to be about fifty months pregnant. I want to be held, I want to be cherished, I want you to rub my back and tell me you love me."

"I do, but my idea …"

"No buts. If you want to fight with me, we can do that over the colour of the couch or where we'll put the crib, not about work."

"I don't want to fight with you."

"Good." She snuggled more deeply into his arms if that was even possible.

"Sharon, sweetheart, please."

"Take it up with your head of department," she mumbled against his chest.

"But that's Provenza and he doesn't agree with your decision either!"

"Then take it up the chain of command." Sharon pushed herself up and looked at him in that way that always made his heart melt and he couldn't not lean in and kiss her. She hummed approvingly and he pulled her more tightly against himself, laughing when Little Peach protested the sudden movement with a small kick.

"Woman, how do you always get your way? I'm gonna have my hands full if our little girl is even the slightest bit like her Momma."

Sharon stiffened in his arms. "About that," she started off, but he kissed her soundly. "No need to explain yourself. I love you just the way you are. You and our little girl both."

"Andy …" her voice was hesitant and had taken on a particular quality he had hardly ever heard before. Concerned, he shifted so he could look at her again and place a tender hand on her cheek. Her eyes were dark, but there was something else in them.

"What is it, sweetheart? Are you worried about our little one?" he prompted and gently kissed her forehead. He was surprised to see tears spring to her eyes. Where had those suddenly come from?

"Would … would you be terribly disappointed if we had a little boy?"

"That's what has you so worried? Sweetheart, I have complete trust in your motherly intuition. Next year you're going to give birth to our beautiful baby girl – and the old man will have to swallow his words."

Sharon pulled back, her heart suddenly beating more quickly. "Provenza? What did he tell you?"

"He's finally accepted that you're actually pregnant and now he's got it in his head that we're having a son! Can you believe it?" He couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.

"It wasn't his place to tell you!"

"Not like I listen to him. Don't worry, he's just trying to rile us up." Andy saw the dark look on her face, but it was only there for a moment, so he chalked it up to her general ire with the Lieutenant's behaviour over the past month and the message he had just left on her phone in particular. He kissed her again, longer and with more fervour this time and when she responded in kind, everything else was soon forgotten.

/

The lights of the tree were sparkling and Sharon could detect the faint aroma of pine mixing with that of the ocean coming in through the open door, the gentle wind playing with her curtains. She was grateful the smell of paint was gone, and more grateful still that her son had finally fallen asleep. It seemed that the little one had been particularly restless today after she had let another chance go by at breakfast to tell his father about him. When Andy had bent down and kissed 'his little girl' goodbye, the little boy had kicked his mother's bladder so hard she had nearly wet herself.

While they still had to do the bulk of their move, Andy and Rusty had managed to get her clothes and, more importantly, her Christmas decorations over to the house. Andy's old bed, although small, was actually quite perfect for snuggling up closely as she liked to do and with any look their new bed would arrive before she got too big.

Now Sharon was resting on their brand new couch that had only been delivered the day before. It had been the right choice, she thought as she stretched and yawned, it was so much more comfortable than her old one. All she need now was Andy. He had hardly been home last night and she missed him badly. She turned onto her back and then onto her other side before her son could notice the lack of space and start kicking her. The manoeuver successfully accomplished she sighed and looked through the open doors towards the beach. She was daydreaming about their son's first toothless smile, his little voice calling Andy Daddy, small feet taking their first steps on the beautiful dark floor. She would buy furniture for the deck outside, and Andy would build a swing and a sandbox. Gosh, she really could picture living here with her little family!

When the unfamiliar sound of the doorbell startled her out of her slumber, it took her a few seconds to get her bearings before she recognised the voice of her favourite lawyer.

"Sharon Elisabeth Raydor, I know you are in there and you won't believe the surprise I have for you and my little goddaughter!"

"Cut the old pregnant lady some slack, will you?" she muttered as she made her way to the door still a little wobbly on her legs. Luckily Gavin pulled her into their customary hug and kept his arm around her waist afterwards looking her up and down. Sharon ignored his inquisitive stare and instead tried to peek over his shoulder. The amount of bags and boxes astounded her – even for Gavin. She noticed the Cheshire cat grin on her best friend's face and only shook her head. "I hope you don't expect my help carrying all that inside. Geez, Gavin, what have you been up to?"

He let go of her and sized her up again. "Gosh, you do look rather like a Christmas present yourself if I may say so!" Sharon laughed. She had thought the same thing when Andy had tied the bow of her wrap-around dress right over her stomach that morning. "How is my future goddaughter?"

"Your godson is finally asleep."

"Was your Lieutenant exited to hear he'll be having a son?"

Sharon pulled her lower lip into her mouth and chewed on it, her eyes unable to meet Gavin's.

"You still haven't told him? Sharon, seriously! How hard can it be?"

Sharon frowned and rubbed her aching back, but that didn't fly with her best friend.

"You know, those bottles of champagne were finished a awful lot more quickly than I thought. And you know how my tongue gets when it's all dry …"

"Do you realise that constitutes blackmail? That's a criminal offense! And it's not like I haven't tried to tell him, but he's so excited about his little girl – I just don't have the heart …"

"How hard can it be? Hey baby, when I was in hospital they did this thing called an ultrasound and guess what – it's a boy!"

"Gavin!" she groaned, her discomfort no longer just coming from her painful back.

"Okay, you wouldn't call him babe, would you? You'd say something old fashioned like my dear or my love." Sharon rolled her eyes – she remembered the expression on Andy's face when she had first called him 'dear' only too well.

"You have no right to tell me how to talk to the father of my child. Until you grow a uterus and become pregnant…"

"That hurt - how could you be so thoughtless!" He grabbed his chest in an elaborate display of mock pain.

"Oh Gavin, cut it out! It's just not as easy as you think. Andy is so excited to have a daughter. In fact, Provenza already told him I'm having a boy and he didn't even believe him!"

"Well, Sharon dearest, if it's going to be a girl then you are in luck, because Uncle Gavin has found just the most adorable designs for his little princesses' room." He rummaged around a few of the bags and pulled out a wad of sparkling pink fabric. "Isn't this the cutest thing? I was going to go for Hello Kitty, but then I saw this. There's a choice between unicorns and ballerinas and look, there's matching wallpaper, curtains and here, my absolute favourite, matching PJs for Mom and Dad!" Gavin leaned back beaming proudly, "What do you say, my dearest? Shall I tell him or will you?"

A key turned in the door and Sharon was about to breathe a sigh of relief that turned into a panic when Andy walked through the door.

"Lieutenant, how lovely of you to join us. Come here, we're looking at decorating your little girl's room! How about this?" Gavin flashed the dancing ballerinas in front of the Lieutenant who was slightly distracted by his girlfriend pulling on his shirt. Misinterpreting her he pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed first her, then her stomach. Then he turned his attention back to the pink dream spread out on his coffee table that not so long ago had been covered in sports magazines. The frown on his face slowly turned into a wide smile. "Ballerinas! And look at those tiny shoes, Sharon! How cute. What a perfect choice with all the dancers in our family - and it goes with your pictures, too!" Sharon couldn't believe her ears. Andy taking an interest in something that clearly counted as interior design? And at the one moment she would have wanted him to be oblivious? She hid her face in her hands barely supressing a desperate groan.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" Andy's concern was immediate, one hand on her shoulder the other automatically finding its way to her belly where their son was reacting to his mother's aggravation with a few hard kicks. Sharon felt even more guilty when he began whispering soothing words to the baby, calling her Daddy's little girl. She had been lucky enough that he hadn't believed Provenza, but she knew how hurt - and angry – he'd be if he had to find out from Gavin. She had to tell him, but first she had to get rid of her friend who was gesturing wildly behind Andy's back.

"It's just been a long day, and it's getting a bit chilly in here," she lied in her sweetest voice, "maybe you could get me my new blanket from the nursery, honey."

She didn't feel cold to Andy. If anything, her face seemed rather flushed and there were at least four perfectly fine blankets on the couch. "Please," she begged him squeezing his hand. With a little chuckle Andy pushed himself off the couch. It was just a tad adorable that she would want that particular blanket he had brought home only yesterday. It was covered in small peaches and meant for their daughter's crib, but Sharon had taken an immediate liking to it going as far as sleeping with it last night - which made it even stranger that she would keep in the nursery which was still just an empty room.

The moment they were alone Sharon turned towards Gavin, "Stop encouraging him!"

"Tell him you're carrying a boy," he challenged her with obvious glee.

"I will. It's just not as easy as you think."

"Fact is, I know something your gentleman friend there doesn't know and I'm sure you'd rather tell him yourself!"

"Gav, please!"

Edged on by the desperation in her voice Gavin lifted up in his hands and shrugged his shoulders. "My conditions for playing along with your little charade haven't changed – not much anyway."

She huffed, "Taking advantage of your pregnant friend is considered bad manners!"

"Well, then let me offer you a deal. You'll get me a case of my favourite champagne for my Christmas Party…" Sharon was about to agree when Gavin raised one finger. "Not so fast, my dear. One case for Christmas and then another one for my New Year's Party which you'll be attending wearing that dark red dress."

"Gavin! The dress was never part of the deal!"

With a nod the lawyer indicated Andy who was coming back to them with empty hands.

"Okay, deal, champagne and your New Year's Party … in the red dress if I can still fit into it," Sharon hissed under her breath.

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry, I couldn't find the blanket."

"Maybe I left it in the bedroom? Gosh, this pregnancy brain is starting to do me in!" Sharon rubbed her belly and looked up at him sweetly, knowing Andy wouldn't be able to turn down her request then.

He gave her a sloppy salute. "You wish is my command."

When Andy came back, Sharon had just said goodbye to Gavin. She let him wrap the blanket around her shoulders and leaned into his body hiding her face against his neck while she tried to find the right moment to tell him about their son.

"I think we need to talk," Andy said seriously, oblivious to his fiancée's inner struggle. He immediately regretted his tone of voice when he felt her go rigid.

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you, it's just … please don't take this the wrong way. I love the little ballerinas and unicorns and I'm all for decorating the nursery the way you like … but … darn, I hoped that I would never have to say this."

He took a deep breath and prepared himself for the worst. "You're pregnant and your hormones are out of whack and … well, the Sharon I know, the non-pregnant Sharon … I just really don't see her wearing matching ballerina and unicorn PJs!"

It was out. Andy sighed in relief - and Sharon squeaked and snorted so loudly it took him a while to understand she was actually laughing.

Women. He'd never understand them – and Sharon least of all.