AN: Thank you al so much for reading, reviewing, my heart warms when I read all those lovely messages.
I used a few lines from the show, they're not mine, I just couldn't leave them out either.
WARNING: Mention of ABUSE.
True faces, part one of three.
She hadn't liked Daniel Dunn, almost from the get go. Something in his character, that she had seen before.
Rusty made the decision to spend the weekend with him. She had been anxious from the moment he had left. Had made him promise to call her, if he needed her. His text message had reassured her a bit, but it wouldn't make the uneasy feeling in her stomach go away.
Luckily they had been very busy working on this case involving a dead cop. She had worked very close with Andy. Doing all the interrogations together. It was hard being so close to one another and being unable to act on their feelings.
Now Rusty was away, they would have an opportunity. Last night they had been swamped at the station though. Andy had send her home, as she was exhausted. He had offered to stay at the station. He was so sweet, listening to her worries about Daniel. Taking care of her, making sure she'd eat, sleep.
Finally closing the case, he had agreed to do the paperwork. Told her to go home, take a bath. She would call him later.
Taking of her glasses, she turned on the light. Throwing her jacket over one of the chairs, replacing it for her cardigan. It was then when she saw Rusty's backpack on the chair.
"Rusty? Rusty are you home? What happened?"
"Can we talk about it in the morning?"
"Is everything alright? Do I owe Daniel a call?"
She stood in front of his closed door, listening to what might happen inside his room.
"Wait, wait, wait I'm coming. Just don't freak out okay"
He opened the door and she gasped in shock as she saw his battered face.
"Oh my God."
"Don't worry I didn't hit him back."
She couldn't care less if he had.
"Come on…"
She guided him towards the living room.
"I just ran and used the hundred dollars you gave to me to get a cab."
"Oh my God, what did he do to you? Come here, let me see you in the light."
She put him down on the couch her fingers tentative as she touched his hair, brushing it a bit out of his face.
"What happened?"
"Annie his obnoxious fiancée was asking me all these like personal questions about like how I'd gotten along with my mother…"
Sharon got up, she should get him some ice to make sure his eye wouldn't be completely shut in the morning. In the mean time she listened to Rusty's story.
"And I thought you know why not let the gay hustling thing out there. And when I did that Annie kind of freaked out and Daniel took me outside to talk and then he accused me of trying to ruin his wedding and then I told him that I couldn't care less about his stupid wedding and then… and then he hit me."
She can still see the shock on the boys face, no matter what he had been through there was still shock over his father's reaction.
"Why didn't you call me?"
Because of that exact pain he saw in her eyes now. She almost flinched herself, as she put the ice pack against his eye.
"Because Sharon I knew you'd be upset."
She looked touched.
"And I wanted to think things through. Look we're passed the ice stage."
"How can you be so sure?"
"I am sure. My mother's boyfriend used to do this to me once a week."
She tried to keep up a brave face, not showing him how shocked she was over this information. How much it hurt her to hear all that. As he continued his story, she could only think about Sharon Beck. What kind of mother was she? What kind of mother would let anyone hurt her own child? Slowly she learned the truth about Rusty and why he'd been left at the zoo.
"Did I do anything to apologize for?"
She shook her head.
"No we are passed the apology stage of our relationship with Mr. Dunn." And we have moved on to the please don't let me drive over to his house and shoot him in the head phase."
She touched his cheek with her hand as she tried to take care of his split lip.
"On the bright side, I guess I don't have to get back to Daniel's house, right?"
"No, there's a good chance he will be coming over here."
She would never let him get close enough to hurt Rusty again. Not in any way, shape or form. She was the kind of mother, who'd go to great lengths to protect her children. She had protected her own children, Rusty was no difference. She loved him as much as she loved Samuel and Grace. Children were supposed to be protected by their parents, not hurt. As she looked into Rusty's eyes, she was reminded of the look her, once eight year old son had.
Her hands began to shake.
Rusty saw how Sharon had to steady her arm, so she could make a picture of the bruises on his face. She was so upset, the pain in her eyes. He worried about the chance that Daniel would might come to the apartment. What if he would hurt Sharon too? He knew she was a cop, but her being this upset made him worried.
"Could we call Lieutenant Flynn?"
Sharon looked surprised.
"Just in case Daniel might come over here tonight."
"Honey, you don't have to worry about that. I'll call the doorman, he wouldn't even get up."
"Please Sharon? I'd feel a lot better."
He wasn't asking for himself. Sharon looked like she could use some love and support from the lieutenant. She would never admit it herself. She had made up this stupid rule for herself, no private life displayed in front of him. He knew why she had come up with this rule, and it was really sweet, but he wanted to see her happy.
"Alright."