So sorry I haven't updated sooner, but I'm back to updating my fanfiction. More chapters to follow this week! Enjoy!
Savage Darkness, Hidden Love
Chapter 6
The debriefing over, Flynn walks with Provenza as everyone else disburses. He feels her eyes on him before he sees her.
Sharon cuts both of them off, stepping in their path, her hands on her hips.
"Where, exactly, do you two think you are going?" she claims in that low voice that garnered her the nickname "Darth Raydor."
"Oh...well-" Andy begins.
"Uhm...as...as liaison-" Provenza stutters.
Sharon elegantly points in the direction of her office.
"Gentlemen, I believe we need to discuss your behavior from the meeting."
Provenza scoffs until Sharon takes a step toward him, her glasses dangerously low on her nose. Provenza has the good sense to shut up, his hands going to his pockets as he puts his head down.
"Of course, Captain."
The two men make their way to the Captain's office with Sharon following. As they take seats by the Captain's desk, Sharon turns to close the door and faces Captain Mason for a few seconds. His blue eyes find hers, and he smiles knowingly. She grins back before closing the door to her office.
John laughs to himself. "She's gonna eat them for breakfast."
/
"Captain, let me-"
"Sharon, what is this-"
"Gentlemen, gentlemen. Enough. I'm simply bringing it to your attention that your antics interrupted Captain Mason, and perhaps we should be more professional in the future?" Sharon takes her seat, her hands linking together on her desk. She eyes the two of them for a lengthy minute.
Flynn and Provenza slump back, sinking into their seats looking like two chastised boys before exchanging a look and rising up again.
"Captain, perhaps now would be a good time to remind you that you joined in. Did you think no one noticed your little moment with stupid over here?" Provenza points toward Flynn.
"Hey! Watch it, old man," Flynn scoffs.
Sharon narrows her eyes.
"Did I say either of you were required to speak in this meeting?"
The men look toward each other, confusion marking their faces, before turning back to Sharon.
"Perhaps instead of trying to be the next Laurel and Hardy, you can concentrate on making this team look as professional as possible? Please, let me remind you that for the foreseeable future, Major Crimes will be collaborating with SDPD and Captain Mason, and I expect NOTHING short of perfection."
"Ye Gods," Provenza rubs his face with his hand. Sharon continues as if she didn't hear him.
"I want three things from you. One, I want an apology."
"I'm sorry, Captain. Won't happen again." Provenza sullenly replies.
"Yah, I'm sorry too, Sharon."
Provenza swiftly eyes him. Andy begins to raise his shoulders in confusion until he realizes what he said.
"Captain! I'm sorry, Captain."
"Thank you. Two, I want you to apologize to Captain Mason when you walk out of this office and not a minute later."
The Lieutenants nod their heads in unison, although Sharon can see Andy clenching his teeth. She almost breaks into a smile, but holds it in.
"Third, I want each of you to concentrate on your jobs. Andy, you've been in the clouds since this case started. Provenza, you've been distracted by watching Andy. I don't know what's going on, but from this moment on, it stops. Andy, get your head in the game. Provenza, Andy doesn't need a babysitter, so stop bothering him. Understood?"
Provenza glares at Andy before facing Sharon. He stands up and puts his hands together in front of him.
"Yes, Captain. Anything else?"
"No. I've said my peace. Would you like to add anything?"
"Yes. He's a damn idiot!" Provenza spits out.
"What did I do?" Andy inquires as Provenza ignores him.
"You're dismissed, Lieutenant," Sharon says as Provenza turns around, the door closing behind him.
Andy, for his part, looks completely baffled.
"Andy, you didn't answer me. Do you understand?"
"Before I answer, I have a question for you."
Sharon slowly swallows. She doesn't need Andy to bring up anything personal right now. She needs professionalism. Against her own good judgment, she quickly nods once.
"Okay. Answer this for me - How am I supposed to 'keep my head in the game' when I have to sit here and watch you make goo-goo eyes at Mason?"
Andy puts a hand through his hair, standing up to pace as his hands make fists.
Sharon is completely caught off guard. Her hands sink beneath her desk, nervously rubbing together. She alters between telling Andy to leave her office and voicing abject horror at his insinuation but finds her voice refuses to work. Finding she cannot look at him, her eyes drift around and notice her blinds are still closed from her earlier meeting with Captain Mason. Thank God for small mercies.
"I beg your pardon?" She manages to croak out.
"What's going on, Sharon? I thought we were good. We mended our friendship. We're back to going out to dinner a few times a week. We watch movies with Rusty. And what? All that goes right out the door as soon as Mason shows up at your crime scene? One look and the last few years mean nothing? How could you ask me to be professional when you can't take your eyes off the guy? Tell me, is that professional?"
Sharon opens her mouth to say something, anything really. Once again, her voice falters. She stands up to garner some time, walking around her desk and leaning against it. Her hands grasp the edges of it, seeking stability in the rough seas she feels suddenly surrounding her.
"Andy…are you jealous?" Sharon inquires. Andy scoffs, his hands disappearing in his pockets as he continues to pace. Sharon's curiosity is piqued by his strange behavior. Andy is right. They are back to being great friends. They spend their free time together and are back to their weekly date nights they insist are not dates, but just two friends enjoying each other's company and getting their minds off of work. Right?
"Of what?"
"You're right, Andy. Of what?"
Andy stops pacing, turning toward her with another look of confusion.
Sharon smiles slightly, more to herself than him.
"Why on earth would you be jealous?"
A look of hurt crosses his face and Sharon immediately regrets saying it.
"Well, Captain, let's see. I've spent years trying to be your friend, trying to be someone you could trust and depend on. I've been right here, right in front of you, hoping against hope that you would one day look at me the way I look at you; hoping that you might one day be ready to open your heart again to another relationship. I've held on to the little moments between us; the little smiles, the brief pats on my arm or back, the little moments where you let me lead you through a door. Yet I can't help feeling just a little furious that Captain Mason walks into your life, and within hours, you are offering the man your couch to sleep on! You're eating food with him in your office! You are outright flirting with that man; a man you barely know."
Andy approaches her slowly, his head hanging low. He brings his eyes to her level, a sadness that Sharon rarely sees on his face.
"And what I've come to realize, Captain, is that at this very moment, you are treating that man out there better than you've treated me in years. You're letting him in where you've never let me tread. You're looking at him the way I dream of you looking at me."
Andy takes his hands out of his pockets, his shoulders rising and falling slowly.
"Jealous? Why on earth would I be jealous of the man who could take away everything I've ever wanted?" Andy snaps his fingers. "Just like that, as if it took no effort at all."
Andy turns, not waiting for a response. He pauses, his hand on the door knob, to address her one last time.
"I'll apologize for being unprofessional to Mason. I wouldn't want to make our team look bad. I would never try to make you look bad."
Andy turns, looking her directly in the eye.
"But you'll excuse me if I can't keep my eye on the ball. I'll do my job, and I'll do it damn good. I just…I can't watch you fall for him. Frankly, I don't know if I could recover from that."
He turns from her, opening and then closing the door behind him. Because he never looks back, he misses the silent tears streaming down her face.