/7/
Rusty headed through the LAPD building Monday afternoon feeling a curious mix of anxious and restless. There was really no reason for him to be anxious – a fact he had tried to persuade himself to countless times now. Sunday had been an otherwise peaceful day, lounging around. Sharon had been her usual self this morning, breakfast once again with lieutenant Flynn at the table.
Rusty had just finished school and in eagerness he had rushed to the police building well aware of speed limits and Sharon's wrath if he got a ticket, yet he might have driven slightly above the limit. He arrived slightly out of breath on the floor major crimes resided on, having hurried through the underground garage at a run.
Rusty just wanted to see how Sharon had fared. Not that he thought she would be a mess or frazzled – he just wanted to see for himself that she was doing fine and that being back at work was no problem. There was only so much you could derive from a text – a smiley face was a smiley face whereas Sharon's smiles had a thousand different meanings. That and he wondered how everything had turned out – had the suspect filed charges against Flynn?
The murder room was empty and Rusty opened the door into electronics finding only half the team there, standing around watching the computer screens, Chief Taylor even present along with two people Rusty had never seen before.
The group acknowledged Rusty but then their eyes were glued on the screens again. Rusty glided into the room, standing next to Sanchez. He looked around, wondering where Sharon was – even Flynn and Provenza were missing.
Before he could ask though he heard the voices from the computer, finding Sharon in the interview room along with Flynn on the computer screens. It was from Friday he guessed, Sharon in the suit she'd been wearing that Friday. Rusty stepped closer to the screens, eyes on the man who sat across from Sharon – a well-dressed tall man, short-cropped hair and an impassive expression.
That was the suspect, Rusty thought, the asshole who had attacked Sharon.
Rusty forgot all about finding Sharon then, rooted to the spot, watching – no one told him he couldn't be here so he remained in electronics, watching as everything unfolded on the screens.
Sharon lay out the facts, a hand around a pen, her eyes on the suspect; they sat across from each other and the tall man's eyes were trained on her. It was only because he knew what was going to happen, Rusty thought, otherwise he wouldn't find the man to be so callous looking, wouldn't find that neutral face suspicious.
The suspect nodded.
Lieutenant Flynn stood up against the wall, arms crossed, watching the suspect with narrowed eyes.
The suspect started protesting when Sharon explained the DA deal.
Lieutenant Flynn interrupted, "Shut up – you listen to the Captain first, you creep, and then you can file your complaints with the Mayor's office."
The suspect closed his mouth, dark eyes turning to Flynn instead – there was something sinister about that look as well. Rusty held his breath; this was both dreadful and yet captivating in an odd way – Rusty both wanted to see it and he didn't, caught in this ambiguous feeling.
There was a knock on the interview room door and Rusty watched Flynn stalk to the door, a narrowed look over his back at the suspect. Sharon ignored them both, continuing to talk to the suspect. The guy's eyes landed on her again, a small tightening of his mouth.
Flynn answered the door – a uniform; they went outside, leaving Sharon alone. Rusty shook his head, feeling an irrational need to run out of electronics and go warn Sharon in the interview room – despite the fact that what he was watching had already happened.
In happened in a flash then, Sharon calmly pushing the notepad towards the suspect, her hand holding out the pen; they needed him to write his deposition down. The guy calmly stood up, towering – Sharon arched an eyebrow at him, continuing to sit in her chair.
Then the asshole jumped at her, both of them falling to the ground in a heap, the guy's big hands clamped around her throat, blocking her air supply; Rusty watched feeling immense anger, Sharon struggling, her hands going to the creeps face, trying to claw at it – he countered with two knees on her arms, holding her down, sitting on top of her, his fingers now white around her throat – Rusty watched her knees bump hard into the guy's back but he didn't move an inch; there was an almost manic precision to him.
Sharon was choking, her knees hitting the suspect harder now – it seemed futile, Rusty thought, the guy was big and in good shape.
At that moment the door opened again and Flynn came back; he was in a sprint towards the guy the moment he realized what was happening, tackling the asshole – they spiraled away from Sharon and bumped into a wall.
Flynn's fist landed in the guy's face twice, a knee in his stomach and the guy doubled over; Flynn followed him to the floor, pummeling his fists into the guy, hands coming away bloody Rusty noticed – meanwhile Sharon had collapsed completely to the floor. Was she even breathing? A second or two went by, then the door flew open again and in came Sanchez and Sykes, out of breath, they immediately went for Flynn, trying to drag him away from the suspect.
Provenza came into the room then, going straight for Sharon; the lieutenant kneeled beside her, a pained expression on his face; he helped her sit up. She looked so pale, Rusty reflected, taking irregular breaths, just coming to consciousness again; Provenza had a comforting arm around her upper arm – she was swaying, looking ready to faint again.
Tao came bolting into the room as well now, two uniforms behind him; they quickly leapt past Provenza and Sharon, helping Sanchez heave Flynn away from the suspect; Sykes kneeled by the suspect, her hand on the gun at her hip – but the guy didn't move much but for a moan of pain.
Flynn looked livid, still trying to get past Sanchez who had him by the labels of his suit, Tao standing in front of them baring access with his body and trying, as far as Rusty could tell, to get eye contact with Flynn, telling him to calm down with a soft voice.
Life slowly seemed to go out of Flynn and he sagged a bit, arms falling down limply at his sides.
"We've called for a medic," one of the uniforms said, kneeling besides Sykes and the suspect.
Flynn turned around, eyes on Sharon, kneeling in front of her along with Provenza. Sanchez eyed Flynn, standing ready behind him – Rusty thought the detective was afraid Flynn would lunge for the suspect again. But Flynn was otherwise occupied now, his face crumbling at the sight of Sharon, softening.
"Hey," Flynn said, a gentle low tone and a hand on her cheek in a small caress. Provenza narrowed his eyes, watching Flynn. Sharon looked up and caught Flynn's eyes, a vulnerable look. She didn't even seem to notice Flynn's bloodied knuckles, the hand on her cheek seeming not to bother her. Provenza saw the blood, however, "Flynn, you've got the creep's blood on you. Go wash it off."
Flynn quickly retracted his hand from Sharon's cheek, eyes angrily on Provenza who returned the same look.
Flynn shook his head, "I'm going with her in the ambulance."
"I'm not going anywhere," Sharon said, her voice sounding hoarse.
"Oh yes you are, Captain," Provenza turned to her and despite the words his voice was gentle, "You passed out and can barely sit upright by yourself – you're going to get checked out."
She didn't protest but merely closed her eyes.
"Now you, go wash off the blood and cool down," Provenza said to Flynn again, "c'mon, go on – before FID comes down here and you go mental on them as well."
Flynn shook his head, a hand on Sharon's knee – Rusty thought the gesture was unbeknownst to both Flynn and Sharon though it caught Provenza's attention, "I'm not going anywhere."
"I'll look after her," Provenza hissed under his breath, the words barely making their way over the speaker.
Flynn ignored Provenza for the moment, "I'm so sorry, Sharon."
"I feel a little dizzy," Sharon replied.
Before either men could answer, Tao knelt by the little group as well, "You lost consciousness, Captain?"
She nodded.
Tao took her hand in his, two fingers on the inside of her wrist, "Can you breathe alright?"
Sharon shook her head a little, grimacing, "It feels a little strange," she rasped out.
"C'mon," Provenza stood up, a hand around Flynn's upper arm. Flynn followed Provenza up – they went to the door, speaking in low voices that did not translate over the speaker, both looking angry, words heated and gestures livid.
Rusty thought it was the adrenaline kicking in and the fear of seeing Sharon being strangled that made the two men hiss at each other, eyes narrowed and voices rising in volume; it was always easy to lash out at the people close to you when a situation was outside your control – Rusty only knew too well how that felt.
The door into electronics opened and Provenza came in, stopped up short when he noticed Rusty.
"Kid, you are not supposed to be in here," it was said with a glare at Taylor who merely raised an eyebrow and gave a nonchalant shrug.
"I don't think your foster mom," Provenza said, extra stress on mom, "wants you to see this."
Rusty tried to glare at the old man but he did not budge. "But," Rusty protested. Provenza gently but firmly guided Rusty outside electronics, closing the door behind them both. Rusty knew the lieutenant was right but even if he felt sick watching what had happened he also felt relieved to know what had actually happened.
"Who were those two suits in the room?" Rusty asked.
Provenza patted his shoulder, then "DDA Michaels and Lieutenant Elliot from FID."
"Listen, let's go find the Captain, okay."
Rusty nodded and followed the lieutenant.
"How was school?" the lieutenant asked, a soft hand on Rusty's shoulder as they walked away from electronics, "I thought the two of us could go out and get everyone some take-out – eat a bit of dinner together the whole group, huh, how does that sound?
"School was school," Rusty said and received a smile from the older man, "We have to get Sharon something that's not greasy – just as a little show of appreciation, you know – we get her something green and pizza for the rest."
The lieutenant nodded with another smile, "Yeah, she's not the pizza type, is she."
The question was rhetorical; they both knew Sharon was rather devoted to green things.
"Is there anything you want to know?" Provenza asked, almost hesitantly, "About what you just watched? You alright?"
Rusty sighed, "I'm not glad I watched it but it's just kind of a relief to know what happened."
"I understand kid, I really do. But I think the Captain would've preferred you didn't see it and frankly I'm not ready for the admonition when she finds out I let you get away with it."
Rusty smiled, "It's not your fault, "then sobered, "Why's the DDA there?"
"We want our bases covered, just in case."
"Just in case?"
"Just in case the suspect and his lawyers decides to make trouble for us. Lieutenant Elliot is positive that the case will be closed with no repercussions."
Rusty nodded, they both moved along to the little place where Rusty usually did his homework. They were just about to round the corner into the den when Provenza shot an arm out and prevented Rusty from going into the half-open space; it was occupied.
Sharon was sitting perfectly still on a table, one leg over the other, watching Flynn striding around in angry circles. Rusty was about to announce himself but Provenza shook his head in the negative; they both watched as Flynn stopped short and then approached Sharon, hands around the back of her head and before Rusty could avert his eyes, they were kissing. Not a long kiss or a messy one – just a little short one that made Sharon go wide-eyed and made Provenza groan next to Rusty.
"I'm sure that's not what it looks like," Rusty whispered to the lieutenant – trying to come up with an explanation that would explain away the fact that Flynn had kissed Sharon – their relationship was a precarious one, Rusty understood that and he guessed it would not be a good thing for it to be too public.
Provenza arched an eyebrow, "Rusty, that's exactly what it looks like – one idiot kissing another."
Rusty looked dumbfounded and then watched as Provenza snuck his head around the corner again, a goofy smile on his face.
"You know about them?" Rusty asked.
"They kind of let the cat out of the bag, Friday," the older man answered.
Rusty grinned, "How?"
Provenza shook his head, "The idiot," he pointed in the direction of Flynn, "went berserk on the suspect like I've never seen him go berserk before, then proceeded to cradle the Captain's hand and utter absolute nonsense waiting for the ambulance. Nearly blew a coronary when I tried to get him to stay behind for when FID came down to inspect the scene – proceeded to manhandle his way to the ambulance and followed her; he held her hand through the whole ride."
Rusty shook his head – Flynn and Sharon were apparently rubbish at doing things without being obvious; the thought was rather amusing. "Okay – is that why you were mad at Lieutenant Flynn?"
Provenza shook his head at himself, "Partially. We were all riding a lot of adrenaline and anger; it's easy to lash out in a situation then. I was just worried about the Captain – and Flynn. I was didn't want him to be in trouble – and certainly not further trouble because he couldn't hide his emotions."
"I understand," Rusty said and he did.
Provenza nodded and then raising his voice he said out aloud, "If there's something Rusty and I shouldn't see it better stop now – because we're making our entrance."
Rusty grinned and followed the lieutenant into the room, watching as Sharon was once again seated on the table looking like nothing had happened, Flynn standing a good five meters from her, arms crossed.
"Yes, lieutenant," Sharon enquired, crossing her arms as well, she smiled, "Hi Rusty."
"They're done watching the tape."
Sharon nodded.
"DDA Michaels is going to talk with the Mr. James's lawyer and that'll be it."
"So it's done?" Flynn asked.
Provenza nodded, "That remains to be seen. The bastard's on his way to county – got checked out of the hospital this morning. You might get a spot on you record though, Flynn – it'll fit nicely with the rest of your colorful spots."
Flynn breathed a sigh, smiling briefly, "I can live with that," he paused, "It's not as if I'm anxiously waiting to be promoted."
Sharon still looked impassive, "Nothing in the media? What about internal affairs?" she turned her head and regarded Flynn with a lifted eyebrow, "Stop being so blasé."
Flynn shrugged, a lazy smile directed back at Sharon.
"That Elliot kid thinks you're the creator himself; he's practically ready to beat Mr James himself," Provenza intervened before they could begin to bicker.
Sharon narrowed her eyes, "So there's no ramifications?"
"Most likely not – at least not for us. The creep will get an aggravated assault charge on his rap sheet as well – it goes rather well with murder in the first degree." Provenza smiled briefly, then with a grave look at Sharon and Flynn, "However, if you two idiots continue to sneak around with your faces attached to each other then someone might just file a report. Subtlety, that's the deal, my friends – it's not that hard."
Sharon looked nonplussed, "I have no clue what you're referring to, lieutenant."
Provenza suddenly looked uncomfortable, "Just keep it out of my sight, huh."
Flynn chuckled, "Sure thing, old man."
Sharon gave Flynn a glare, crossing her arms. She was about to open her mouth when Rusty intervened, "How about dinner?"
All three adults smiled at him.
Things might just go back to normal, Rusty thought – well as normal as it could be living with his own personal police Captain who was going to be bringing home her own personal police Lieutenant. He grinned to himself – glad when Sharon came over and gave him a hug, her smile genuine and her eyes crinkled.
/
The end. =) Hope you all enjoyed it. I'm just thankful you're such wonderful readers =)