"You know, she's more mad about how hard I hit them than that I hit them."

"You were defending yourself from bodily harm, she gets that. But you… well, have you heard of the Use of Force Continuum?"

"No." Rusty frowned, pulling some leftover rotisserie chicken out of the back of the fridge.

"Okay. I've just gotten to the root of your and Sharon's communication problems. The Use of Force Continuum is like her bible. When she was in IA that was the measuring stick used in all of her investigations. Yes, she is more mad about how hard you hit them."

Rusty narrowed his eyes at her without amusement.

"It's like Newton's Law: every action has an equal but opposite reaction."

Rusty didn't look the slightest bit amused. "That's stupid."

"Well you asked."

Rusty picked up the plate, "I'm going to my room."

"Rusty?" Sharon called, rapping on the door. "May I come in?"

"It's your house." Rusty grumbled.

Sharon opened the door and put her hand on her hip. "You don't have to give me attitude about everything."

"It's more of a want." Rusty smirked, turning his desk chair around.

"Fine." Sharon walked in and sat down on the bed. "Okay. You're going back to school tomorrow - "

"I'm not going to say I'm sorry. They attacked ime/i!"

"Excuse me, I hadn't finished." Sharon held up a halting hand. "When you go back to school tomorrow just steer clear of any of the kids who bothered you today."

"Come on, Sharon." Rusty rolled his eyes and turned around.

"Don't be a little shit, huh?"

Rusty turned back around quickly, shocked as Sharon's use of words. Despite feeling indignant at her vocabulary, he respected her that much more.

Sharon sported a crooked smile that suggested a playfulness that her eyes didn't seem to share. "I know that you only told the truth and I know that the other boys threw the first punch but I also know that you like saying things that provoke people."

Rusty opened his mouth to protest but Sharon kept going.

"And I know you do it because you're angry and you feel like you don't have any control over your life. It's easier to provoke a fight or an argument with a known outcome than try to open yourself up to someone and have no idea how it'll turn out. And it's hard to open up to new people because you've had your heart broken too many times already."

"I don't need you to try to get into my head."

"I don't have to try because I've been in your shoes. Granted it was a long time ago and I was younger than you but I do have a basic understanding of what you're feeling."

"Bullshit."

"When I was six my aunt and uncle adopted me. I had to move halfway across the country."

"Did your parents die?"

"My mother did and my father didn't want me and I was angry about it for a long time but it didn't change anything. Rusty, I just want you to know that I empathize and I am here for you in any capacity that you want me to be."

Rusty nodded a little.

"And you can be angry because a lot of the things that have happened to you really suck just don't let being angry about one thing keep you from enjoying another." Sharon stood up, "and know that eventually being angry stops."

Rusty nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you, Sharon."

Sharon was sitting on the couch with her feet propped on the coffee table and her arm around Brenda who was snuggled against her and eating a very large ice cream sundae.

"Hey," Rusty said from behind them.

Sharon turned her head, "hey, everything okay?"

"Yeah," he shifted from one foot to the other. "I was thinking… maybe wanna watch a movie?"

"Sure," Sharon straightened up a little. "Want some ice cream?"

"Okay." He nodded.

Sharon nudged Brenda, "why don't you make Rusty one of your candy sundaes?"

"Alright." Brenda set her bowl on the coffee table. "Just don't pick a slasher film; I'm not in the mood."

"Scream 4 it is then." Sharon teased.

"You watch slasher movies?" Rusty chuckled, sitting on the couch with Sharon.

"Love 'em." Sharon grinned.

Angela yawned as she got out of the car and again as she knocked on the door. After a few moments Max opened the door.

"Oh…"

"Morning. Is James ready, do you know?"

"Um," Max rubbed the back of his neck, "he grabbed the bus this morning… didn't he call you?"

Angela groaned. "Little bastard." She sighed, "alright. See you around then."

"Hey, hey, you want a latte for the road?"

"Oh, thank you, I don't want to put you out though." Angela waved it off.

"I'd gladly take a ride into the city in trade."