Maybe this will seem a bit out of character, although I've tried very hard to keep it in character, but after 5x04, I have a feeling she knows how to get what she wants from her man. This is the result of me trying to explore that.

The scene takes place before the final day of their case with those Brits. Dinner (and a sleepover?) at Sharon's.

So go ahead, give it a read and tell me what you think.

"I think we should do something to celebrate Mike's award."

How those words, uttered in such a warm, sincere voice, with an almost dreamy quality to it, could stop the fork which was on his way to his mouth in mid air, and increase his heart rate, should, logically, be beyond him. But then he remembered 'Badge of Justice' and he knew how. He angrily continued the movement of his fork and met the bite it carried with equal fervor.

"Really?" He didn't mean for the word to sound so annoyed and exasperated. He mentally winced having realized that the casual and matter-of-fact tone he was aiming for, was non-existent.

"Yes, really." If he wasn't a grown man much closer to his old rather than middle age than he cared to admit, he'd have put his head down in a way which could only be described as that of a child resigned to listen to his mother's scolding. He tried an "Okay." instead. He mentally patted himself on the back. He sounded much more casual this time around.

If only Sharon bought it. "What is it with you and Badge of Justice?" She had given up on her dinner now. They would have to talk about this, he knew.

"Nothing," his voice raised defensively so he shrugged his shoulders in hopes of appearing nonchalant.

His hopes didn't come to fruition. "Mike has every right to be proud of his work." She narrowed her eyes at him. "And I think it would be nice if we, the team, would celebrate his success." She pushed the plate in front of her away from her and folded her hands neatly on top of the table.

He knew he couldn't win this one. "Look, I'm happy for the guy, okay?" He punctuated his words by gently pressing the fingers of his hand on the table. "But the show sucks." And before she could retort he hastily added, "Besides, do I really have to hear about it all the time?"

Her narrowed eyes relaxed, and a smile graced her lips. He should've ended at 'sucks', he realized. "You don't have to," she started gently. "And you really don't hear a lot about it." She gave him a pointed look. "But does Mike have to listen to you huff and puff about it every occasional time the show gets mentioned?"

Oh. She had a point. He does complain about it a lot. And it really isn't like he's not happy for Mike. But did it really have to be mentioned all the time? Occasionally, he corrected himself. She was right. Of course she was. It wasn't all the time. But it sure felt like it sometimes. And he behaved like a sulky teenager because of it.

Suddenly he felt as if he was sucker punched.

"Andy?" her voice and her hand on his arm, cut through the haze of his thoughts. "Where did you go?"

"I just realized something." His eyes grew wide in horror as he looked into hers. Her brows drew together, she had no idea what he could have possibly realized.

"I turned into Rusty," he whispered, as if afraid someone might overhear them. Rusty certainly wouldn't. He was out with Gus.

She squeezed his arm and smiled. "I'm sorry, Andy, but I don't follow."

"You're right." He had to give her credit, her smile remained intact, no trace of a 'of course I'm right' look. "I complain about this all the time. I've turned into Rusty!" His hands flew up and flopped down on the table.

She burst out laughing. "Oh," her voice slightly elevated in pitch, "you have, a little bit." Her hand caressed his arm gently.

He shot her an exasperated, sarcastic "well, thank you very much" look. "Laugh it up, yeah." He shook his head sarcastically. "Just laugh it up."

She stood up. She felt walking might help to ease the laughter that was threatening to dissolve into giggles. "I'm sorry." She stepped closer to him, having pulled herself together again. She leaned down and gave his cheek a quick kiss. "Don't worry, you are not Rusty." She pulled back, reached for her plate and waved her hair back as she started making her way back into the kitchen. "Trust me," her voice took on a low timbre. The one that did things to him.

He shuddered and got up as well. Chill, he mentally chided himself. He grabbed his own plate and followed her. She took his plate and rinsed both of them, before returning them to him to put into the dishwasher. She leaned on the kitchen sink counter, hands gripping its edges, and eyed his movements. When he closed the dishwasher, he turned to her. "Well, I certainly hope so." He offered her a cocky grin and kissed her.

When they pulled apart, her hands still gripping the counter's edge, head turned upwards to look at him, she said, "So how about a cake for Mike?"

He rolled his eyes and took a step back. "Sure, let's draw a badge on it and write 'Badge of Justice' on it," he replied sarcastically.

Her eyes lit up at his words. "Oh, yes, that's an excellent idea, Andy!" She pecked him on the lips, patted his chest and moved out of the kitchen. He stood there for a second, wondering what exactly had just happened, before his brain kicked into gear and told his feet to follow her.

"Wait, what?" he asked. She was busy getting crumbs off the table.

"We'll have cake. And balloons," she headed to the trashcan to dispose of the crumbs. "And drinks."

Andy leaned against the back of his chair. Sharon and her sense of occasion. He would be slightly annoyed by it if he didn't find it utterly adorable. Not that he would ever tell her that. His face settled on a secretive smile and then he said, "Sure, how does apple cider sound?"

He could tell she was well aware of the sarcastic undertone his words carried, and that she chose to ignore it. "Yes, apple cider. I'm sure Lieutenant Provenza will love it." She rubbed her hands together, getting rid of any remaining crumbs on them.

This time Andy burst out laughing. "I might just be down for this party after all."

She walked toward him and grabbed his arm, pulling him toward the living room, aiming for the couch. She couldn't hide her mischievous smile at that image: Provenza, a party, and no alcohol. Her smile only turned wider imagining Andy's smug look at that.

When they sat down she turned to address him, a more stoic expression in her features now. "I'll figure something out with the rest of the team. We'll work out the details tomorrow." That settled it, they would celebrate Mike's award. "But I still think you could work on your Badge of Justice outbursts." Her voice took on a wistful note, and he knew she really felt bad about Mike being made fun of so much.

"Mike knows I'm not being serious." His shoulders slumped as he continued, "Maybe a bit jealous," she quirked an amused eyebrow at him, "but it's all in good fun." She didn't seem convinced. Her face took on that expression she usually had when she knew she was about to get what she wanted. The one where, beneath a somber look of patience, one could tell an expectant smile was waiting. Rusty was often on the receiving end of that expression, but he grew familiar with it, too. He had the pleasure of seeing it mostly at work. It seemed he would be exposed to it outside of work for once as well. "Look, I can't promise I won't huff and puff about it," he threw her a look, "but I will try to tone it down, okay?" Her face pulled a smug look now, eyes sparkling, a smile fighting to spread across her face, her forehead crinkling a bit with the effort to keep it in check. "Happy now?" He meant to sound impatient and irritated, but the amusement in his tone was unmistakable.

Her face broke into a full blown smile. She grabbed the remote control, leaned into his side, taking extra care, and time, to make herself comfortable as she leaned her head on his shoulder and turned on the TV. He could only watch her with raised eyebrows and a lazy, amused smile, as he stretched out his arm over the back of the couch to help her settle in. "Yes," she nodded. "Very."

His final thought, as the discussion had clearly been put to rest for the time being, was very reminiscent of what a certain former Deputy Chief would huff and puff at times; that woman. Only when he thought it, he couldn't wipe the stupid smile off his face.