More Than Luck

By: Kadi

Rated: M

Chapter 8

Rusty was waiting up for her when she got home, and he wasn't alone. All three were seated on the sofa when she and Andy stepped into the Condo. Sykes and Sanchez had been dismissed, after reporting that neither had spotted any unusual activity around the Condo.

"Well?" The young man was on his feet the moment the door was shut. "It was another one, wasn't it? What did this one say? It had to be bad for you to all run off and for you to have Detective Sanchez watching us."

"Yes, there was another one." Sharon dropped her purse on a chair, while Andy took her jacket for her. "Rusty, I simply wanted the added protection given there are more of you to protect right now."

"Sharon." He glared at her. She had promised never to lie to him. He could see that she was doing that now. He knew what Sharon looked like when she was upset about something, and Flynn had come back with her.

She sighed. "This one was sent to Lieutenant Flynn, it's more of the same, Rusty, and we're taking it just as seriously."

Anxiety churned inside him. Would they make him go away if it was getting worse? He thought about Sharon's offer, and the card he'd put under the tree with his answer, would any of that matter anymore? "This is so stupid."

"Rusty." Sharon sighed. She couldn't exactly blame him for his frustration. "It is what it is. We're doing the best that we can."

"I know that, Sharon, but it's just all so…" He ran his hands through his hair and heaved a sigh. "I just keep feeling like this stupid trial is going to take the rest of my life, and what happens if we catch this guy, and then there's another one? What if the threats never stop? Everyone keeps saying that Phillip Stroh was such a horrible guy, how many other people could he know that could just start this all over again."

"I really don't think that we should worry about more than what we currently have in front of us," She said softly. "Our writer is getting desperate if the letters are going to others now, it means we've been effective in keeping you secured. You don't have to worry, Rusty."

"Yeah? Then why are you?" He folded his arms over his chest, gaze unwavering. "If I don't have to worry, then why are you so freaked out right now."

"It's her job." Katie said, after exchanging a look with her brother. The kid had their mom pegged alright. They knew precious little about the whole case, only what their mother could tell them, and that revolved around the security and the need for it, and why she hadn't wanted them to visit. "She's going to worry no matter what. It's a thing she does. It's going to drive you absolutely bat-crazy, but it's not going to stop. Besides, sounds pretty worry-worthy to me. Wait until she really flips out. Then it gets truly interesting."

"What? There's more," Rusty's eyes went wide. "This isn't it?" He waved a hand in Sharon's direction.

"Nice." Ricky rolled his eyes at his sister. "Way to calm the room. What the dancing jelly bean forgot to mention is that worse usually happens when there are hospital visits involved. Like when the car gets bounced through a guardrail into a ditch because some idiot is trying to impress a girl."

Katie hooked a thumb at her brother. "Meet the idiot. Almost lost his baseball scholarship over that one."

"Luckily, I was out of the cast in time to get in shape for my first season at USC." Ricky leaned forward. "My point is, so some whack job is sending a few letters. It's nerve wracking, yeah, but you don't have to make it worse. Mom is going to worry. You are going to worry, but you can't let it take over everything."

"You mean, chill out, quit being a brat, and let the adults handle it?" Rusty made a face at him. "That just…"

"Sucks." Flynn shrugged. "We know, but it's the best we've got."

"Rusty, we're going to handle it. We're going to find him," Sharon stated. "Soon enough, you'll be helping. For right now, a little patience, please?"

"Yeah." he sank back onto the sofa, deflating. "Sure. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry for being frightened," she said. "We've all had our moments, believe me. What I refuse to do is to allow this to, in any way, ruin our time together. Life goes on, for the most part."

"It's the for the most part, part that is the most crazy making," Rusty pointed out.

"I know," she said. "Rusty, small price to pay?" Sharon gave him a pointed look. He could be off to boarding school, or elsewhere in the Witness Protection program.

"Yeah," he sighed. "Yeah it is. So what now? Just more security, or does Emma flip her lid?"

"DDA Rios hasn't been informed yet," Sharon walked around and took a seat. She felt Flynn lean against the side of her chair and felt some of the tension leave her. "I'm sure her reaction will be just as emphatic as we have seen in the past. Nothing has really changed from the last letter to this, so it's doubtful there will be any changes in your situation. I'll face them when they occur. For now, the DA's office is closed. We have a reprieve."

"Is there anything that I can do?" Ricky leaned forward, arms resting on his knees.

"No honey," her smile warmed. "You're pretty far out of your jurisdiction." She glanced up at Andy to explain. "Ricky is San Francisco PD."

"San Francisco?" Andy tilted his head at them. "Something wrong with LA?"

Ricky chuckled. "I wanted to get started someplace where my name wasn't known, and where I hadn't played little league with a lot of the officers' kids. The hiring freeze you all have going on has kept me north. I want to transfer back to LA as soon as the freeze ends."

"Understandable," Andy nodded. "What division?"

"Narcotics." Ricky shrugged. "My beat covers the Port authority and bay areas. It's the China Town boys who have all the real fun."

"Ah." Andy grinned down at Sharon. "I was expecting him to say IA."

"Rat squad?" Ricky's eyes were dancing. "Hell no. One of those in the family was enough."

Sharon huffed quietly. "It was good enough to pay for your little league gear." Her playful tone belied any true annoyance.

"A ball playing cop and a ballerina," Andy squinted down at her. "Who are you?"

She shrugged at him and rolled her eyes. "Just a girl."

"Yeah right," Rusty and Andy both muttered.

"On another note," Katie rubbed her hands together. "Mom, it's almost midnight. You know…"

"No." Sharon smiled. "After breakfast, that's the rule."

"Oh come on!" Katie flashed a playful pout. "We could all use a little pick me up!"

"No," she drew the syllable out. "After breakfast, Christmas morning. A rule's a rule."

"She really likes rules," Rusty stated. "It's a thing. Weird, but a thing."

"Try growing up with them," Ricky stated with a grin. "Mom, Katie has a point. Let's put the night back on track. How about just one?"

"Better idea," Katie nudged Rusty. "Go make some toast. Technically, toast is breakfast, and it's morning."

"Why do I have to do it?" He made a face at her. "You make the toast."

"No!" Ricky and Sharon said together. "Kitchen appliances are not her friend," the former explained.

"Really?" Katie frowned at them. "One little microwave fire and no one ever lets me forget it."

"One?" Sharon's eyes narrowed. "The guys at the fire station knew us by name. She stays out of my kitchen unless there is strict supervision." She folded her arms over her chest. "The answer is still no. Off to bed."

"We would, but you're sitting in the middle of where we put our beds," Rusty pointed out with a grin. "How about we do just one, and then we'll all go to bed? Please?"

"Please?" Ricky and Katie joined him but with more theatrics.

"Oh alright," She threw her hands up in defeat. "Just one."

Andy laughed at her. "Sucker."

"I'll rescue the gifts from Angelpalooza," Rusty volunteered.

"I'm going to take off," Andy swept a lock of hair behind her ear while the kids were occupied. Leaving her wasn't easy, he wanted to stay and make sure she was protected, but knew that if he didn't leave now, he wouldn't leave at all. "I'll see you tomorrow, or later tonight, rather."

Sharon stood and followed him toward the door. "You could stay," she said.

"I know," he turned at the door and slipped an arm around her. "I'd like to, but it's late. You should have Christmas with your kids. Let them make you crazy and try to wheedle a few more gifts out of you."

She laughed. "They can try."

His head lowered and he pressed a soft, lingering kiss to her lips. "Night."

"Good night." She held the door for him when he opened it. The officers in the hall looked up and nodded to them. Sharon smiled back. "Thank you for the ride, Lieutenant. I'll be in touch."

He nodded. "Captain." Flynn walked away before he could change his mind.

Sharon closed the door behind him and flipped each of the locks before sliding the chain into place. "Okay." She walked back to the living room. "One gift, no more, don't even think about asking for more…"

"It really is important that she believes that's going to work," Katie told Ricky.

"It speaks to her eternal sense of optimism," he replied.

Rusty shook his head at them. It was weird seeing this side of Sharon. She was different with her own kids around, but still very much the same. "Sounds more like Sharon's sense of no to me," he said.

"Ah, so young," Ricky stated.

"So much for us to teach him," Katie agreed.

Rusty backed up from them, eyes wide, and went to the arm chair with his gift. "I'm staying over here."

"A wise choice," Sharon told him. "You two behave," she pointed a finger at her son and daughter. "No corrupting Rusty."

"I'm already pretty corrupt," he reminded her.

"Yes, and I want to leave it at that. There's no reason to make it any worse." She nodded firmly and took a seat in the other arm chair. "Alright, what do we have?"

"Last time we went oldest to youngest," Ricky said. "This year, we start with the youngest."

Katie started to cheer and stopped. "Hey, that no longer appeals to me the same way it did."

"I'm liking that more than you know," Ricky told her.

"So sorry," Rusty flashed a grin at her as he ripped open his gift. His eyes lit up. It was a DVD box set of a movie trilogy he liked. "I thought you said this stuff would rot my brain?"

Sharon shrugged. "It's Christmas, and you'll be eighteen in a few months. You saw them before I came along."

Ricky leaned over. "Blade. Really?"

"Vampires do not sparkle, they cinder," Rusty said seriously.

Katie sniffed. "Boys." She wriggled and then started opening her gift. It was the one from Gavin. "I would marry that man if he wasn't gay." She lifted the lid off the box and sighed, quite happily at the blue and black Michael Kors Hamilton tote that was nestled in side.

"And also way too old for you," Sharon chimed in with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah," Katie waved her off.

"Note to us, she's easily bought by fashion accessories," Ricky told Rusty.

"Good to know," he nodded with a grin. "You really shouldn't encourage Gavin's addiction. He needs help."

"Oh no," Katie said seriously. "Gavin should always be encouraged." She bounced a little and hugged the purse.

"It's disturbing," Rusty said. "You know that right?"

"We make certain allowances," Sharon stated with a shrug.

"Says she who will be crooning over whatever Gavin got for her," Ricky laughed. "The fashion diva apple did not fall far from the tree, Rusty." He turned the box in his hands over a couple of times before he started unwrapping it. "Of course, notice that I am not going to complain too loudly when there are benefits in store for me too," he said of the new gleaming, silver Burberry wrist watch. He stood up and walked over to press a kiss to his mother's cheek. "You're the best."

"Hmm.. I know." She smiled. There were similar gifts for Rusty and Katie. "I'm glad you like it, baby. I suppose that makes it my turn… I think I like this better when we're with your grandparents." Hers was a pair of tickets to a play she had mentioned wanting to see. "Thank you, Rusty."

"Just do me a favor, take Lieutenant Flynn." He grinned.

"No, I think it would be good for you," she teased. "You need a little more culture in your life."

"Really," He held up his hands, warding her off. "Think of it as date night."

She laughed. "We'll see." Sharon stood up and walked around the room, picking up the discarded wrapping paper. "Now, bed, all of you." She walked through the condo, making sure all the doors were secured. Even though they were on the eleventh floor, she checked the windows and balcony door as well.

"Yeah, bed, sure…" Ricky shared a look with Rusty. "First, we're going to watch the best Christmas movie ever."

Sharon was almost afraid to ask. "Which is?"

"Die Hard," they said as one.

"Right." She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Well, don't stay up too late, and I want no complaints when I wake you making breakfast."

"Bruce Willis, I'm down with that." Katie grabbed a blanket and snuggled down on the sofa while the boys got their camp beds ready. "He was hotter in RED, technically, it's a Christmas movie too."

"Die Hard first," Ricky stated. "If we're still awake, we can throw RED in."

"RED first and I bet we get mom to watch with us," Katie hedged.

Three pairs of eyes flew to her. "I am not staying up all night watching action movies."

"One action movie," Rusty pointed out. "With decent explosions and good comic timing. Come on, you've got to appreciate it."

"So we'll get a later start to the morning," Ricky reasoned. "Wouldn't be the first time." Unlike the others, he was more directed. He walked over and took his mother's shoulders and directed her to the sofa.

"Alright. One movie," she relented.

"I've got the popcorn," Katie hopped up.

"I've got the hot chocolate," Rusty went after her. Then he remembered what they'd said about Katie and cooking. "And ya know, maybe I should help with the popcorn too…" He didn't see the night ending well if there was a fire involved.

"Oh come on, a few little, minor incidents," Katie said.

"See, earlier you were saying it was just one," Rusty smirked.

"I might have been underselling it."

"Yeah," he said. "That's the part that scares me…"