So here's another chapter designed to string along the tension between our favorite Captain and her favorite Lieutenant. I've received one piece of feedback finding the previous chapter very OC yet another (different) reader providing the very nicest review ever and seemingly loving that same chapter #3 so … That was a little paralyzing in updating this story. For that I apologize. Lets hope you like this new direction.

Ch.4 Secrets spilled over dinner.

Four people. Two tied up in tension, two in cahoots. All in one booth.

Provenza was not amused but plenty confused by the evening's new re-direction.

On one hand, Provenza had agreed to go along with Rusty's idea of getting Andy and Sharon to run into each other outside of the office if only to mend hurt feelings without coworkers spectating. On the other hand, Provenza was and always had been dead set against any office hankie-pankie – especially between his partner and their boss since the potential (or inevitable) fall-out is harder on all involved when office romances sour. Of course, the only time Louie Provenza doesn't mind an office romance was when he is on the receiving end of said hankie pankie.

So while Andy, Sharon and Rusty read over their menus, Provenza nursing his first beer of what was to be a few, and mulled over how this foursome came to be in this booth this evening. It didn't take Provenza all that long to realize how Rusty had played him expertly. Somehow Rusty had manipulated the situation in just a few seconds from what was supposed to be a chance or lucky encounter into an odd sort of "double-date." Thus, no good deed goes unpunished! How is it this effort to bring two neurotic idiots together to end their discomfort would only end up inflicted on the older lieutenant? Provenza's chin came out in defiance as he squinted at the young man seated across the table.

From the earlier phone conversation with Rusty, Provenza had only agreed to go along with the teenager so things could return to normal at home, the same way Provenza wanted things to return to normal at work. Back to when cases were solved and interpersonal relationships were platonic.

Maybe the kid was right about getting the pair together for more than just a few minutes. It did beat doing nothing that evening - sorta. Provenza sighed heavily and flag the waitress for another beer. All right, maybe he'd go along with the manipulations, but that didn't mean he have to like it.

While Provenza pouted to himself, Rusty began peppering Sharon and Andy with questions about the movie and their take on the characters. Despite his best efforts, the conversation lagged noticeably. Neither Andy nor Sharon seemed particularly comfortable contributing much to the conversation, and, on the whole, were painfully quiet.

"Well, I loved the movie!" Rusty announced. "It was sooo intense – how that guy just wanted to be the best and practiced 'til his hands bled! Sharon, what would you think if I were to get a drum set, ya know, used of course? I mean I'd earn the money for it first." Rusty wasn't the least bit interested in actually playing drums but he figured it would get Sharon talking. It worked.

"Well, Rusty, if you're really interested in the drums, how about trying out a few lessons first?" Sharon said in that soft voice that usually purred when she was relaxed. Rusty pursed his lips but eventually nodded at the better option.

"Yeah, okay, that's probably a better idea." Rusty took a slug from his root beer and glanced over to Provenza who gave him a look that read you're on your own, kid. The waitress finally returned to their table to take their orders giving Rusty time to think up a new strategy.

"I've always wanted to play music but I never really had the opportunity before, you know?" Rusty commented to no one in particular. He knew how to play on Sharon's sympathies. "Do you play anything kind of instrument, Lt. Flynn?" Andy looked surprised at the question.

"A couple actually," Andy said with a grin as he leaned forward placing his elbows on the table. Sharon and Provenza instantly looked at Andy as if he'd suddenly grown a horn out of his forehead. How did they not know this about Andy already?

"What do you play?" Rusty was genuinely interested.

"Yeah, and how come you never told me?" Provenza sputtered.

"You never asked, Lou." Andy said with a wry look. Sharon was curious but stayed quiet. How was it Andy never mentioned it to her either?

"I started playing piano as a kid, real cool – right?" Andy rolled his eyes at Rusty. "My mother was a Sinatra fan and insisted I learn how to play. I had lessons twice a week for years."

"Seriously? I would have killed for music lessons as a kid!" Rusty interjected. "What the other instrument?"

"Guitar," Andy said before taking a sip of his soda. "Mostly jazz back in high school," Provenza's mouth hung open.

"Jazz?" Provenza looked skeptical.

"Hey, there was a girl…." Andy shot back. Provenza understood immediately. Many a man or teenage boy did things directly associated with pleasing or attracting a girl he was interested in.

"I've known you how long and you never once mentioned you were a musician?" Provenza snarked. "Got any other hidden talents I should know about?"

"Many! But it'd just make you jealous," Andy teased. Provenza smacked Andy's upper-arm with the back of his hand.

"Jazz? You?" Provenza was clearly surprised by his partner's choices. "Rock and roll, I could see, but jazz?"

"You don't have to sing when you're playing jazz," Andy retorted.

"So you can't sing or you don't want to?" Provenza pushed.

"Both," Andy laughed good naturedly.

"I would've never have guessed you're a musician," Rusty said politely. Andy smiled back and wagged his head a little.

"Was a musician," Andy said gently. "No one ever does." He lifted his water glass and took a sip while allowing his eyes to glance over at Sharon's face. Her eyes caught his as she tilted her head to the side with new appreciation and a tiny smile curling the edge of her mouth.

"How about you Lieutenant?" Rusty gestured to Provenza.

"Nah, I was too busy being a jock," Provenza said mock-seriously.

"Oh, reallllly?" Andy said raising his eyebrows. "Too cool to play music? Riiiiight… what sport? Badminton?"

"Very funny," Provenza shot Andy a drop-dead-and-die look. "Not sport – Sportssss. Football, track and baseball," Provenza said as he began on his second glass of beer. "What about you, Captain? What were you into in high school? Music or sports?"

"Both actually. Flute … synchronized swimming and..," Sharon said with a half-smile stopping herself from continuing abruptly.

"Anddd?" Rusty prompted. "You said 'and'."

"And that's it," Sharon said pressing her lips together sweetly. Andy could have sworn he saw Sharon's face turn slightly pink.

"Seriously?" Rusty needled. "I get the feeling there's more to the story." Sharon tried her best poker face but it was a split-second too late.

"Like what," Sharon asked Rusty innocently as she crossed her arms across her chest. Rusty recognized Sharon's body language as trying to guard herself.

"I really can't see you as being nerdy back in the day, so that rules out chess club or math club," Rusty said playfully.

"Chess isn't nerdy!" Sharon countered. "You play chess, Rusty and you're not nerdy at all."

"So where you?" Rusty awaited her response.

"No, I was not in either chess or math club."

"How about Student Council?"

"Nope." Sharon said glancing at Provenza who was enjoying the conversation and far too interested in uncovering any possibly humiliating morsel in Darth Raydor's past.

"Chorus?"

"God, no." Sharon smiled. "I can't sing." Andy smiled at her comment.

"Yeah but you do hum! A lot!" Rusty joked. Andy and Provenza instantly nodded in agreement. Sharon stared at everyone with wide eyes.

"I don't hum!" Sharon exclaimed. "Do I?" All three smirked at her.

"Fine. OK, So I hum." Sharon shrugged helplessly.

"Um, yearbook?" Rusty continued with the rundown of clubs familiar to him through his own catholic private high school education.

"Not yearbook. Not even school newspaper." Sharon leaned back and faked an uneasy smile.

"You're hiding something, I can tell!" Rusty pointed at her with a grin. "C'mon, Sharon. You're sitting here with 2 and a half detectives, fess up."

"Flute and swimming," Sharon repeated to him. "That pretty much covers it all." Where the hell was that waitress? Anything to get the guys to stop digging.

Provenza chuckled at a private thought. Rusty glanced over at him. "What?"

"Pretty much? Is that a confession or a hint, Captain?"

Rusty was smiling at the elderly detective. Lt. Provenza didn't miss a thing. Not only that but now the conversation had everyone's attention and participation. Mission accomplished.

"I'd bet real money our Captain here was either a four-eyed brainiac back in the day or a bubbly bouncy little cheerleader!" Provenza gestured by shaking invisible pompoms under his chin. Sharon's eyes widened.

"Or both." Andy interjected. Sharon glanced up at him with a look that confirmed Provenza's suspicions. Suddenly Andy leaned back with a big grin on his face. Both knew a guilty tell when he saw it. "You were, weren't you, Sharon." Andy finally addressed her directly. Sharon rolled her eyes and shook her head a little.

"I was not bubbly. OR bouncy."

Provenza leaned over and bumped Andy. "Ha! Darth Raydor was a cheerleader! Am I good or what?"

"Sharon, you were a cheerleader?" Rusty's surprise was unnerving. "Like for real, with pom-poms and flips and stuff?" He couldn't imagine this serious woman cheering in a sexist outfit.

"How did this conversation go so off-track?" Sharon shook her head with a small, embarrassed smile. "Yes, we had pom-poms, but our uniforms were a lot more modest than they are today."

Andy looked positively pleased and tried not to smile. Was Sharon squirming because she knew at this point, most men typically mentally picture her in a short little cheerleader outfit. This was exactly the type of thing didn't want anyone to do or even know about, especially her own team.

"And I fully expect you to respect my privacy and never mention this to anyone employed by the LAPD," Sharon said seriously.

Andy frowned initially but realized it was exactly the kind of personal nugget he and other male cops would have pounced on to embarrass or tease her, even undermine her authority, had they known about it when she was in IA.

"I'm serious, lieutenants. You too, Rusty." Sharon wasn't smiling.

"Of course, absolutely," Andy reassured her. "Likewise, my jazz guitar past. Don't even!" Sharon started to smile when she realized Andy was trying to lighten the moment.

"That's cool," Rusty replied. "I get it."

Provenza looked around the table and realized everyone was staring at him awaiting his agreement.

"What? I wouldn't dream of it," Provenza reassured. Sharon nodded at him and he nodded back. All was understood.

"Uh….what about the 'brainiac' part?" Andy prompted seizing the moment to return the conversation to a more comfortable atmosphere. Sharon looked relieved to get off the subject of cheerleading.

"I…uh…why do you want to know this …," the smile returning to her face.

"Sharon, c'mon it's not really bragging if it's true," Rusty said encouragingly. Sharon sighed without giving away anything. She was also tired of being questioned. Privacy was something she treasured.

"The only way I'll answer is if I get to ask each of you a personal question and you answer it truthfully. Any takers?" Sharon had suddenly turned the tables. She wasn't going to share any more private information unless she got something back in return.

"I'm in," Rusty said immediately. His curiosity got the bet of him while still reeling over his new mother's incongruent background.

"Why not. Sure!" Provenza added. Andy hesitated He wasn't so sure he wanted to answer any personal questions knowing how insightful Sharon was. The last thing he wanted having to answer personal questions since the kissing incident. What if she asked him about that?

"What are you afraid of?" Provenza bumped against Andy's shoulders.

"I'm not afraid," Andy replied calmly. "Maybe Sharon just doesn't want us invading her privacy any further." Sharon's eyes met his with an appreciative smile.

"Or yours?" Rusty joked looking at Andy.

"Exactly," Andy replied without missing a beat. Sharon's eyebrows rose. What was Andy hiding now?

"Sorry but it's an all-or-nothing deal," Sharon replied with a small smirk.

"Andy, are you actually afraid Darth Raydor here will find out something that hasn't made it to your personnel file by now?" Provenza asked between mouthfuls of his sandwich. Andy squinted at Sharon. It was an opportunity to keep her talking to him, something he'd come to miss over the past two weeks.

"Alright," Andy said with a crooked grin. "But only if I get a follow-up question to your question, Sharon."

Sharon cocked one eyebrow. "Okayyy, you can ask but I may not answer."

"Good to know," Andy said playfully. "I'll just have to ask in such a way that if you don't answer, that answers my question." Sharon smiled back. She'd have to be extra careful how she'd respond now.

"So about those grades, Captain?" Provenza had a feeling he already knew what she'd say but half the fun was watching her discomfort when she talked about herself.

Sharon shrugged and admitted she had graduated with honors.

"Well, of course you did," Provenza said sarcastically. "Were you the Valedictorian, too?

Sharon shook her head, "Oh, no, I had a social life."

"Boom! Touché!" Andy smirked at Provenza. "Most cheerleaders do!

Before Provenza could respond, the waitress arrived with a large tray filled with everyone's dinners. Everything smelled delicious and the four were actually quite hungry by now. The conversation quickly lapsed as each one dug into their dinner for a few uninterrupted minutes. At some point Provenza looked up and noticed Sharon was smiling slyly at him. He had hoped she had been sufficiently distracted to forget to follow up but judging by the look on her face, Provenza knew she was planning a doozy to extract a little revenge… or ammo.

"So what do you want to ask me?" Provenza sighed as he looked at Sharon carefully. "And remember there are children present."

"Hey, I'm 18!" Rusty retorted. "Don't hold back, Sharon."

Before Sharon could respond she found herself yawning. "Wow, it's late. I'm going to have to reserve these questions for another time. But just know I will ask them and you will answer me truthfully. A deal is a deal." She said mock-seriously.

The three groaned. Protests ensued and Sharon grinned knowing she had played the cards well. The suspense, the dread alone would have them on their toes, she mused to herself. Sorry but not sorry. It was so like her. A very expert move.

As the meal finished up, Sharon slid her credit card onto the table as the waitress approached with the tab. Andy noticed.

"Not happening, Captain, don't even think of about arguing," Andy commented. Provenza waited to see how the moment played. Either way he wasn't paying.

"Please, Andy. I insist. It was our idea…." Sharon insisted.

"Like I said, no way," Andy repeated. "Besides how would it look if you paid for all those beers Provenza drained? Provenza cocked an eyebrow.

"Then we're splitting it," Sharon said firmly. Andy sighed. He knew he wouldn't win this battle.

"As you wish," Andy relented. Within a few minutes the waitress had run the credit cards and returned them to the table while Provenza took the opportunity to visit the mens room after ordering one more beer.

"Thank you for your company, gentleman," Sharon mentioned once Provenza returned.

"Please. Let us walk you back to your car, Sharon," Andy interjected. "It's late and this area can be a little…."

'Sketchy?" Sharon suggested. "No need, but thank you. I'm armed, just like you. We'll be fine."

Andy had no choice but to agree. To do otherwise was to insult his boss

"Good night, Andy, Lt. Provenza," Rusty said as he slid out of the booth.

Sharon glanced at her oldest lieutenant and smiled as she exited the booth. "Good night, Andy. Louie. See you Monday and thank you for the company."

"My pleasure," Andy said quickly. "Be careful."

"Of course. You too." Sharon said automatically.

As the pair was leaving, Provenza couldn't resist calling out to Sharon. "Gooooo team!" Sharon spun around and pointed at the lieutenant with a very stern glare. Provenza's grin evaporated. "uh…I mean Good night!" Sharon nodded and turned to leave with a chuckling Rusty.

"You swore to, you idiot," Andy warned his tipsy partner.

"Yeah, yeah. I know but I figured it was now or never."

"Well from now on, it's never! Don't make me have to remind you," Andy looked genuinely annoyed.

"Calm down, lover boy!" Provenza teased. "I won't tease your Captain of the cheerleading squad any more, Annn-dee."

Andy rolled his eyes at his sloppy partner. "You're toasted. No more beer for you and I'm reminding you about this tomorrow. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah. Fine." Provenza retorted. "You're no fun."

"So you tell me," Andy scoffed as he pondered the question she might ask him and what he planned to ask her.

So what do you think? Did this stay in character? Your comments are so appreciated. Thanks for reading.