A/N: Thanks to everyone reading & reviewing.

Here's a new chapter. I've been writing ahead and thinking that I might want to slightly change the way I write this story. Haven't made any decisions, but this chapter is sorta 'halfway' there. We'll see how it goes, but it might take a while for me to decide and post future chapters.

Second Chances
Pt 1/2

The next day at work was pleasantly quiet. In the absence of a new case, they ended up picking one from Robbery-Homicide. There were already preliminary reports, witness statements, notes, and other evidence to sort through. At the same time new information was rolling in. The whole team was trying to catch up to the flow of the investigation while Sharon was still wrapping up their latest case with the DA's office.

Lieutenant Tao was focused on keeping their case files up to date. His concentration could not be broken as he kept typing on his computer and transferring the salient details on the whiteboard. Nobody even tried to talk to him, only communicating with him when existing evidence was distributed in the office. Provenza tried to make sense of Robbery-Homicide's notes and sort through files that seemed to have been purposefully disorganized. He kept grumbling about the lax ways in which some divisions worked, which amused Andy to no end. For once his partner's bad mood was directed at the perfect target.

The only members of the team escaping the sorting of papers were Julio and Amy. By some luck the autopsy was scheduled for noon-ish, then one-ish, maybe later. That made it so that they would have time to witness the autopsy. Before that, they were sent down to file the last pieces of evidence from their previous case. Andy was slightly envious of the task he usually wanted to avoid. Purely because today it meant a couple of hours sans Provenza. For whatever reason the old coot had been a degree more impossible than usual, sniping and picking at him. It had started around ten, right on the heels of Taylor breezing through their floor with the high command to help RH out.

After Sharon emerged from her office and joined the fold. She had quickly reviewed the online case log, then went out to the bullpen to see where they were in the investigation. Julio and Amy were still on their morgue task. The autopsy had been delayed and after calling with the prelim findings, they had retired for lunch. Mike had gone through the material RH had gathered and had left for his lunch. Only Andy and Provenza were present. They were being uncharacteristically quiet, but Sharon knew better than to point it out.

Instead, she sidled next to Andy's desk and picked up the first folder on the pile at the corner. It was a transcript of the 911 call. It began like any other, with panic and please repeats. In the middle of it though there was a strange segment of quieter connection, maybe echo, lost words, and maybe a second voice. They would need to listen to it at some point. Sharon reached for the top drawer and pulled out a legal pad and a pen. Placing them next to the tower of paper she leant over and started writing. Being completely focused on her notes she missed Andy's amused look.

Next in the file was a crude timeline. Someone had made corrections with a pen on the printout. Knowing what Amy and Julio had learnt at the autopsy, Sharon had a few question marks to add and notes to cross out. When she came across just three interview summaries her list grew by several more items.

"So, your 'maybe' maybe a yes?" Andy finally murmured from somewhere close as she was looking through the phone dump of their 911 caller.

"Maybe," she replied, not distracting from her writing. Only after she had flipped over to a new leaf on the pad and written out a seven point action list did she raise her eyes to meet his. "You free?"

"Maybe I'm on a promise."

"Well, then," she drawled and dropped her hip, "maybe you should go after that instead."

As Andy was about to reply, they were interrupted by Provenza clearing his throat and shooting them a dagger-sharp look across the room. Sharon straightened and picked up the folder she was reading to hide her flushing face. It hadn't taken a lot to distract her, but now Sharon was having a hard time finding her place. She feigned a need to recheck the whole page for some elusive detail. The ruse didn't have to last long. A minute later Provenza rose from his chair and walked in the direction of the breakroom. Sharon flipped the file closed and placed it on the desk.

"So, where are you taking me?"

"Home?" Sharon shot him a very not amused look over her glasses. "I don't know. What are you in the mood for? Thai?"

"Korean?" she asked hopefully, but just as quickly her nose wrinkled. "What am I saying? But you're a vegetarian."

"You after some barbeque?" At her nod, he shrugged. "If we go to that... Whatever-grill it's called Tao took us once, they have good tofu options."

"You don't mind?"

"No, it's alright," he said and patted her thigh. "They have other foods too, Sharon."

"I know that, but what is the point of going to a grill and not getting barbeque?"

He flashed her a suggestive grin. "Flirting with your girlfriend?"

"Like that's a reason for barbeque."

"Like that can't be a reason for any and everything." Andy looked past her and frowned at his partner returning with a cup in his hand. "That and annoying Provenza."

Sharon released a burst of laughter which she tried to hide with the back of her hand. That was such an Andy thing to say. Provenza's glare in turn was absolutely the Provenza thing to do. It made her eyes water with the effort of trying to stop laughing. She let out a strangled little gurgle.

Andy threw her an affectionate grin. She could be so adorable sometimes.

"Will you two stop flirting," Provenza huffed. "We've got a murder investigation here and I for one would like to get home today."

"Save it, old man," Andy replied, "We're working more than you are. Or did you finish that crossword you're hiding?"

"Hey, hey, gentlemen," Sharon interrupted. She had gotten herself under control, barely, but she was keen to stop things from escalating. The atmosphere in the room was strange. "The Lieutenant is making a valid point. On that note," she tapped her list with one finger and waited for Andy to read what she was pointing at before turning to look at Provenza. "Lieutenant, Andy, could you go down to RH and get their interview tapes? And see if they are still holding someone you can question yourselves."

Provenza raised a brow. He hadn't picked up on all the discrepancies she had. It was natural as they hadn't gone through the same material. Although by the suspicious squint taking over his face Sharon knew he had something. The assumption was further confirmed by the sheet of paper he pulled out of his own pad.

"Captain, that does sound suspiciously like you don't trust our esteemed colleagues."

She hummed. "Oddly I seem to remember one of our divisions has had the word 'elite' connected to it. And it's not theirs. But I'm not holding that against anyone."

Andy chuckled. "Of course not. We won't rub it in their faces." He rose from his chair, ripped Sharon's seven-point list off the pad, and shrugged on his jacket. "Much."

Provenza harrumphed a distinctly gleeful sound. He took his notes and headed towards the door, leaving Andy to hurry to catch up.

"Please play nicely," Sharon called after them.