9.
With the current case progressing, but far from concluded, the day had kept a steady pace. The entire team had been kept busy either chasing down leads, or interviewing suspects and anyone who may have information to offer relevant to the case. Every one of them had eaten lunch on the run, and it felt like their feet had barely touched the ground for close to 10 hours.

As he was winding down and thinking about heading out, the last thing Andy needed, was the wide-eyed DDA cornering him in the break room, with her very own form of the Spanish Inquisition.
He was proud of the way he'd managed to foil Andrea's plans to wheedle information out of him, by marching her into Sharon's office and letting her deal with it.
Sharon had fobbed Andrea off with a 'semi-confession' similar to the one he'd given Provenza earlier in the day, so they were even.

Andy marvelled at the fact that he had managed to hum through the entire day, and had subsequently pissed Provenza off by doing so. Nobody but Provenza had brought up the matching colour scheme, and Andy couldn't see why it mattered anyway... it wasn't like it happened every day.

When both he and Sharon ended up walking toward the elevator at the same time, it was completely unplanned, and again only Provenza looked up at them in an accusatory fashion.
Sharon looked at Andy as if to say "well that was awkward." "Screw Provenza" was his response to the look.
"No, I don't think anyone would agree to that" she responded.
They both stifled their laughter as the lift descended to the car park.

"Plans?" Andy asked.
"Rusty's home studying tonight. He has several exams coming up next week and he's made such great progress that I'm sure he's not going to have any problem passing any of them." She answered.
"I'm so proud of him Andy. He's not the same angry kid who stormed in here."
"He's definitely not the same self-absorbed little ego maniac he was." Andy told her. "I really wondered if that was just him, but it's obvious that you have brought out the best in him since he's been with you. I've actually grown quite fond of him."
"Thank you Andy. Really, thank you." she said and reached for his tie.

"Uh, Captain, have you forgotten where you are?" He raised one eyebrow in question.
"It's late. Everyone but your best friend has left for the day. Why is he still at his desk anyway?" she asked.
"He won't be now. I bet he's already left. I pissed him off with my humming today. He wanted to know why. He poked and prodded for answers, so I told him. Guess what? He didn't like the answers." Andy wiggled both eyebrows at her to indicate that he truly didn't give a rats what Provenza liked.
"Oh good grief Andy! How am I going to look him in the face now that I know that?" she asked, mortified.
"The same way I am going to look at Andrea the next time I see her Sharon. With a smug grin of satisfaction" he answered, and pulled her closer.
Her arms defied her orders, and reached up locking themselves behind his head, just as another set of heels made themselves heard approaching.
Two deer caught in headlights... that's what Andrea came face to face with.
"SORT-OF seeing each other Sharon? REALLY?" a wide-eyed Andrea asked.
"Andy, you have lipstick on your face."
And the ground refused to open up and swallow her, no matter how much Sharon wished it would, and of course Andy just grinned.