A/N Thank you to everyone who is following, has favorited and especially left reviews. It is greatly appreciated.

Chapter 4

Andy wasn't surprised to find Sharon perched on his desk as he and Rusty returned to the murder room.

Andy smirked, Sharon smiled and Rusty studied the floor sheepishly his hands buried in his pockets.

Sharon stood as they drew closer. "Is everything all right?" she asked with a tilt of her head.

Andy stopped just in front of her. He gestured toward Rusty, "Your son here, has invited me to dinner tonight… barring any hold ups here."

Sharon turned toward her son. "Well Rusty that was very nice of you," Sharon said chipperly.

"Yah, well," Rusty stammered a guilt stricken look on his face.

Sharon fought to hide a smile that pulled at her lips.

Andy chuckled. "I know that you," he pointed a finger in her direction, "put him up to it." He smirked at her.

Rusty looked between his mother and the Lieutenant a bit of color returning to his cheeks.

Sharon feigned innocence. Andy just gave her s knowing nod and a quick wink.

"So does that mean you are cooking?" Andy teased. ""Or are we stopping to pick something up?"

"Are you insinuating I can't cook?" Sharon said giving him a glare over her glasses that lacked any real heat due to the smirk that played at her lips.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Andy said with a laugh.

Rusty just shook his head. Looking up he noticed Buzz was back at his desk. "As much as I hate to leave this riveting conversation… I'm gonna," Rusty said pointing a thumb over his shoulder and making a hasty retreat.

"See you tonight," Sharon said with a little wave. Rusty rolled his eyes as he made his escape to the relative safety that Buzz provided.

Sharon looked over at Andy, the quirk of a smile playing at her lips. "You two were… gone a long time for a simple invitation to dinner?" she said.

Andy shrugged.

Sharon gave him a knowing hum in reply. "What time did you two decide on again?"

"Around 7 barring any hold ups here," he chuckled.

"Well then I suggest you get back to work Lieutenant," she teased before shaking her head and heading back to her office.

The remainder of the day remained remarkably uneventful. Everyone was able to make it an early night.

As Sharon walked out of her office, she wasn't surprised to see Andy perched on the edge of his desk waiting for her.

"So where are we picking up dinner?" he said with a grin that caused her to narrow her eyes in response.

"I can cook," she said hands on her hips, "and quite well too. If you recall?"

He laughed holding up his hands. "I never suggested otherwise. I just thought that after a long day, you might not want to go to the trouble."

She smiled at him wrinkling her nose. "I don't like it when you're right," she teased.

He laughed. "With how infrequently it happens, ya gotta go me points."

"Italian, Chinese or Mexican?" he asked standing up.

"Hmm, you pick. I've made enough decisions for one day," she sighed rolling her neck.

"Fair enough, Mexican it is!" he said cheerfully.

Sharon just laughed and shook her head, taking the hand he extended to her, she laced their fingers together and they headed toward the elevators.

Sharon arrived home first as Andy had stopped to pick up their dinner. She had tried to insist on picking it up since they had invited him, but Andy wouldn't be swayed.

She rapped on Rusty's door, but received no response. She momentarily debated on how best to proceed, deciding to knock with more gusto as she opened the door calling his name.

As she had presumed, Rusty was glued to his computer, headphones firmly in place. She smiled to herself as she approached her son hoping not to startle him.

"Hey," she said touching his shoulder causing him to jump and spin in his seat which in turn caused her to jump back.

They both fumbled apologies.

"I just wanted to let you know I was home and Andy," she couldn't help the grin that spread across her face when she said his name, "will be here shortly with Mexican."

"You made him get the dinner he was invited to?" Rusty said with a smirk.

She made a face at him. "No, he insisted. Do you want to come out and help me set the table?"

It was posed as a question but Rusty knew it really wasn't. "Let me just save this last edit and I'll be right there."

"You and Andy seemed to have had a lot to talk about this afternoon," Sharon probed.

Rusty visibly tensed before responding. "Ah yah we … Ah."

"Oh you don't need to tell me what you talked about. I'm just glad you feel that Andy is someone you can talk to," Sharon said saving him.

Rusty sighed, "Ah yah I guess. I'll be right there, ok?"

"Ok Rusty," Sharon said with a smile as she left him to finish.

Rusty was just finishing with the silverware when Andy knocked on the door. His arms ladened with bags.

"Who exactly is coming to dinner?" Sharon asked with a laugh. "The whole division?" She just shook her head, relieving Andy of a bag and a small bouquet of flowers.

"I just couldn't decide so I got a variety," he said with a smile and a shrug. "Those are for you by the way." He tilted his head indicating the flowers she was currently enjoying the aroma of.

She hummed and smiled at him over the petals. "Yes, thank you." She stepped close to him as he set his bags down on the counter and kiss him on the cheek.

Glancing up to witness the exchange Rusty rolled his eyes. Stopping suddenly when Andy shot him a look, Rusty sighed and refocused his attention back on the table. Andy's smirk brought a questioning look from Sharon.

"Still keep the vase in the same place?" Andy asked quickly avoiding her unasked question. He moved to retrieve the vase before she answered already knowing where she kept it.

Sharon just gave a little laugh as he opened the appropriate cabinet retrieving a tall slender clear vase. While Andy busied himself with the vase and the flowers, Sharon unpacked dinner. She quietly watched Rusty diligently straighten each item on the table. Had either of the two been watching her they would have noticed the small smile and raised brow. She knew something was up and it was only a matter of time before one them cracked. She was betting on Rusty being the weakest link, but she would try not to push the issue no matter how much her inquizitive nature tried to provoke her. As she had said she was just pleased that Rusty was confiding in Andy.

"Shall I put this all on serving trays so we can have a proper dinner?" She said breaking the silence.

"You don't need to get all fancy on my account," Andy said walking behind her, vase in hand. He stopped just long enough to place a quick kiss on her cheek. "You, well the company is enough for me," he almost whispered in her ear before proceeding to the table.

That was the second kiss, albeit a very tame one, in Rusty's presence. She gave Andy a sideways glance, unsuccessfully hiding her smirk. Rusty again attempted an eye roll only to abruptly stop and simply close his eyes.

"I'll grab us some drinks. Lieuten ...I mean Andy?" Rusty said as he slid past his mother's boyfriend into the kitchen

Sharon watched Rusty and smiled to herself. Those two were not best friends but she could see that Rusty was definitely trying to be more receptive.

As they sat down Andy turned to Sharon saying, "Ok, so are you going to tell me what this is all about?" He had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep his features as neutral as possible but the merriment in his eyes was a dead giveaway.

Sharon hummed with a smile. "It's a good thing you were never a gambler," she said slyly. "You," she looked between the two of them, "already know what this," she swirled her fork in front of her, "is all about."

Andy looked at Rusty.

"What ?!" Rusty said defensively, "I said nothing."

"And there was your mistake," Andy sighed.

"I can never win," Rusty groaned.

"And the sooner you remember that young man the easier things will be for you," Sharon said with a laugh.

"So," Sharon said becoming more serious and looking at Andy. "What did you decide?"

"Well that depends? Are you formally asking me to moving in here," he paused reaching for her hand, "with you?"

Rusty's groan was quickly stifled when Andy glanced in his direction.

"Ok, what is all ...this about?" She asked waving her fork between the two men at her table.

"What's all what?" Andy said acting innocent.

Sharon hummed as she took another bite. Then she turned her attention toward her son. She glanced at him over her glasses as she slowly chewed.

Rusty gave Andy a pleading look. Andy couldn't help the smirk that pulled at his lips when he very discreetly shook his head, hoping Sharon wouldn't notice but knowing she probably did.

Sharon took another bite her eyes never leaving her son, who seemed to be shrinking before their eyes.

"All right, I told him why I was, like inviting him to dinner," Rusty finally confessed, hoping it would be enough but knowing it wasn't.

Sharon's gaze never faltered.

"And I… I needed um wanted to um kinda ...like talk about stuff," he stammered.

"Oh," she said between bites.

"We weren't like hiding anything for you," Rusty rambled.

"You just didn't want me there for that particular conversation," Sharon offered sounding a little too pleasant and understanding. That tone always made him nervous.

"Ah no … Nothing like that." Rusty's mind was racing. A myriad of explanations quickly jumped to mind and were dismissed in the same instance. None would be sufficient. Just as he had decided to tell her everything, he hear Andy's voice.

"It was just some guy talk," Andy tried to maintain a serious tone but struggled to keep the amusement at bay.

Andy noticed Rusty visibly exhale as Sharon shifted her focus from her son to her boyfriend. A serious expression firmly in place on Sharon's face, more for Rusty's benefit than Andy's. Her eyes betrayed her true feelings and Andy struggled not to laugh.

Andy smirked, "So let me just answer the question at hand. Do I want to live with you? Yes, but you know that already. Would I be willing to move in here ...for a short amount of time until we find something bigger?" Andy said giving her hand a squeeze. He couldn't seem to wipe the silly grin off of his face that was now mirrored by her.

This time Rusty's silent eye roll went unnoticed.

Andy continued. "On the condition that living here is temporary and you will actively continue to look for a bigger place with me." He brought the back of her fingers to his lips. "Then yes I would love to move in here with you." He glanced at Rusty, "with both of you."

Sharon squeezed Andy's hand beaming at him. She hadn't really doubted that Andy would agree, she just hadn't been one hundred percent certain. So she was a little surprised by the butterflies that has descended upon her stomach as she waited for his answer.

Rusty sighed. Andy gave a quick look but figured he'd give the kid a pass this time. After all he had only promised to try and reduce his expressions of disgust. Rome wasn't built in a day so to speak.

"So when do you want the official move in date to be?" Andy asked with a grin.

Rusty thought he looked like the Cheshire Cat and inwardly groaned. What had he done?

"Would the end of the week be too soon?" She asked playfully looking just as pleased as Andy.

What had he done? Rusty thought, only made his mother extremely happy so what was there to complain about really.

Then Andy stood and leaned across the table. He planted a firm loving kiss on her lips which she returned.

Witnessing that caused that little voice in Rusty's head to scream.

Sharon looked just a bit embarrassed. Andy rarely kissed her openly like that in front of anyone especially Rusty. This gesture had given her an inkling about the subject matter of Rusty and Andy's talk.

Andy was impressed that Rusty managed to refrain from eye rolls and sarcastic commentary at that moment. The kid still looked like he might vomit but he kept quiet and shoveled his food into his mouth, eyes firmed fixed on his plate.

Andy sat back down with a smile. "Great," he said, "I'll pick up some boxes so I can start bringing over my stuff."

The End

A/N

Thank you everyone, you have been amazingly kind, encouraging, supportive and helpful. Thank you