Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Major Crimes; they are not my intellectual property. I am not financially benefiting from this story in any way.
Notes: Hi again; thanks for the lovely reviews! Much love to Mel for the beta read :) :)
Pleasurewood Pines – Chapter 2
The room fell into a stunned silence.
Sharon and Provenza blinked owlishly at their superior - and then at each other - as the gravity of his words really sunk in.
It was the Captain that spoke first.
"Chief," she began cautiously, pausing for thought, still not entirely sure how to broach the subject. "If I could possibly suggest..."
"You want us to what?" Provenza suddenly found his voice and cut in – unlike Sharon, his reaction was entirely devoid of diplomacy. "Are you insane?"
"You're both seasoned professionals with under cover experience..." To the untrained eye, Taylor's demeanour would have appeared nonchalant; he rested back in his chair with shrug, crossing his right knee over his left. "A set up like this should be a breeze for detectives of your calibre..."
"A breeze?" Sharon asked incredulously, her tone raising a whole octave. "Chief, with all due respect," she leaned into the table in an effort to drive her point home "we will drive each other crazy."
"Which will make you all the more convincing, as a couple that has been married for almost 40 years."
"But if we could just explore..."
Taylor held up his hand to stifle any more protests from his subordinates. "The decision has been made, Captain." He nudged the file further across the table towards them. "I suggest you familiarise yourself with your alter-ego's – and brief the team - they will all have a role in this too."
xXx
"This is bullshit." Provenza announced as they exited Taylor's office and shut the door behind them.
"I have to agree," Sharon responded with a sigh, as they walked the corridor towards their office. She clutched the case file to her chest, thoughts of the week ahead filling her with dread. The Captain was a fiercely private person - and until joining Major Crimes, had always kept her work-life and home-life separate. It had been a bold move allowing first Rusty, then Andy cross that self-imposed barrier she lay at her front door – and she was happier for doing so – but Louis Provenza? Having him over to watch the game, or for dinner was fine...occasionally...but sharing an apartment with the old-goat?
It was going to be a long case.
"That son-of-a-bitch was loving every minute..." Provenza, unaware of Sharon's internal dilemma continued his tirade.
"That may be true, Lieutenant." Sharon came to a stop as they reached the door to Major Crimes and she turned to face him. She knew if they were both going to get though this week in one piece – they had to focus on the case. "But that S.O.B – as you put it - is still our commanding officer and we have an obligation to see his orders through..."
"Captain, you can't be serious?"
"When am I not serious, Lieutenant?" Sharon raised her eyebrow.
"He's talking about us moving in together, Captain," Provenza pressed on. "You and me, together, under one roof, for hours and hours..."
"Okay, okay" she held her free hand up in surrender. "Look, I dislike this situation every bit as much as you do – trust me - but we have our orders."
"Captain,"
"Lieutenant." Sharon retorted somewhat snippily. "We need to accept the situation and move on; don't forget that in all of this, there are four murder victims."
Provenza sighed "All right," he reluctantly conceded. "Okay, but for the record – I hate this."
"Duly noted." Sharon said flatly as she turned, clasping the door handle to enter the Murder room – but Provenza's next question stopped her in her tracks.
"But what about Flynn?" The Lieutenant voiced the question that was plaguing both of their minds. "Do you think he's just going to 'accept the situation'?"
The Captain paused for a beat, then keeping her hand on the door, twisted to face Provenza.
"Lieutenant Flynn will understand," she failed to sound convincing – even to her own ears.
Provenza looked at his Captain, disbelief evident in his expression.
"I admit..." Sharon tentatively continued. "...That there's a small possibility he might take issue with this arrangement..."
Provenza huffed. "Just a small possibility..."
"But I'm sure that he will handle this in a professional manner..."
"You're sure?" Provenza asked, his eyebrows creeping up his forehead.
Sharon tilted her head to one side. "I think so..."
"You want to speak to him together, before we brief the rest of the team?"
"Would you mind?" she answered quickly, relieved.
Provenza nodded glumly and gestured with his arm for Sharon to open the door. "Lead the way."
xXx
As Andy entered her office, Sharon sat upright in her chair – a nervous smile on her lips. Her hands were clasped together to prevent her from fussing with items on the desk; her fingers twitched in protest.
"Why do I feel like I've been called to the Principles office?" Andy quipped, trying to lighten the tense mood permeating the room.
"Please have a seat, Lieutenant." Sharon spoke carefully, but from Flynn's expression, it was clear that he saw straight through her calm façade.
"All right," Andy took a seat, frowning when Provenza closed the door, before moving to stand behind the Captain. "If this is an intervention guys, then you're over a decade late..." he joked, chuckling nervously. "Seriously – has something happened?"
"No, Andy." Sharon unclasped her hands and lay her palms flat on the desk - reaching over towards her Lieutenant. "I'm sorry for making you think the worst..." she glanced at Provenza. "We picked up a case this morning that is going to demand...a little more...from some members of the team and we wanted to brief you first."
"Okay," Andy shrugged and rested back in his chair, looking a little more relaxed. "What do you need me to do?"
"Umm, well..." Sharon rubbed her lips together – another nervous habit – before continuing. "It's actually more about what we need you not to do..."
Andy frowned. "Come again?"
"We need to you keep your cool, Flynn." Provenza spoke up – his patience already wearing thin.
"Well," Andy narrowed his eyes and sat forward in his chair again. "I can't exactly agree to that, without knowing what it is that you're not telling me - now can I?"
Provenza looked at the Captain from the corner of his eye. "He has a point, Captain."
"Very well," Sharon took a deep breath. "For the purposes of this case, we will be participating in an undercover assignment at a retirement complex in Brentwood Heights."
"A community for the 55's and over," Provenza chimed in. "It's not a home," he offered in explanation, when the Captain glared at him over her shoulder. "Just making the point."
Sharon returned her gaze to Andy, who now looked more puzzled than he did when he came into the room. "As a team, we will be involved in an undercover assignment in the hopes of catching the killer of at least 4 elderly residents...Assistant Chief Taylor believes that the best way to infiltrate this community without raising suspicion, is for us to pose as residents."
"Right," Andy nodded, before her words really sank in. "Wait," he frowned. "What?"
"Why don't you just tell him, dear?"
Sharon turned to Lieutenant Provenza, aghast – yet conflicted. She found herself incensed at him for being so flippant - yet relieved that he'd finally got to the point, when it appeared that she could not. However before she could decide whether or not to chastise him, Andy spoke - and she turned attention back to him; bracing herself for the inevitable onslaught.
"What the hell?" Andy looked temporarily horrified - before his expression quickly turned more contemplative. "So, let me get this straight; Taylor, thinks that it's a good idea for you two to pose as a married couple, in order to solve these murders?"
"Yes," the Captain answered softly. "Yes, he does - but it's important to remember that..." She started in way of an explanation, then stopped suddenly when her Lieutenant erupted in an entirely unexpected way.
"You're laughing," Sharon stated the obvious, then turned to Provenza – a puzzled expression on her face. "Why is he laughing? Andy, why are you laughing?"
"Because," the Lieutenant gasped - struggling to speak. "This," he signalled with his hand between the Captain and Provenza. "Is hilarious."
When Sharon's expression deftly portrayed that she was failing to see the funny side, he elaborated.
"You two," Andy sighed and wiped at his eyes. "Pretending to be a couple! Living together – under one roof – in a retirement home; it's ridiculous!"
"It's a over 55's community," Sharon echoed Provenza's earlier words; her defensive response borne more of being laughed at, than of being at odds with Andy's summation. "And I fail to see how it's ridiculous..."
"Captain, come on!" Andy said though a smile, as he started to calm himself down. "I'm sorry, Sharon – but you're the most ordered person I know; your apartment is always spotless - even with a teenager living in it – and you're about to move in with Captain Caveman, here."
"Hey!" Provenza protested and Sharon stifled a smile.
"How can you not see the humour in that?"
"Well, I am glad to be such a source of amusement for you, Flynn," Provenza grumbled as he moved to leave. "Now that I can see you're not going to have a stroke over this – I'll see you both in the murder room."
"Provenza, come on..." Andy called after him, still laughing as the elder Lieutenant left the office and shut the door behind him.
"He's a little sensitive about the retirement part, I think." Sharon explained; she could see how the situation could be deemed as amusing – that is if she weren't having to live it. Although considering how Andy could have reacted, she decided to allow him enjoyment at her expense – just this once – and painted on a smile. "So, you're really not mad?"
"Why would I be mad?" Andy shrugged his shoulders. "I believe it was you that said we needed to keep our home and work lives separate?"
At that, Sharon smiled genuinely for the first time since she had entered the building that morning; he really had surprised her. They had both grown so much together this past year; it took a moment like this to highlight that change.
"I must say," Sharon got to her feet. "I'm very impressed by your professionalism here, Lieutenant."
"Why, thank you, Captain." Lieutenant Flynn followed suit by getting to his feet; his gaze following Sharon as she moved around the desk towards him.
"So," She stopped but a hair's breadth away; happy that she had been mindful enough to close the blinds before their meeting. "You're really not in the least bit concerned that I will be spending the foreseeable living in the company of your best friend?"
"Concerned for his safety maybe," Sharon tugged on his tie and quirked an eyebrow. It wasn't often she let her guard down enough to be playful in the office – yet these were not normal circumstances.
"Seriously, I understand that we have a case to solve; and yeah, Provenza may have your company for what - a week?" He looped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against him. "I'll have the pleasure for much longer than that."
It was now Sharon's turn to laugh, low and throaty. "That's very presumptuous of you, Andy."
"Trust me, after spending a few hours living with Provenza – I'll be looking like a pretty good catch – despite the snoring."
"Is that so?"
"Yup," He smiled as their lips met, and although they were standing in her office – Sharon let herself lean into him and deepen the kiss; who knew the next time they would be alone like this? It could be weeks...
They parted moments later, breathless, and with a sigh; their foreheads rested together.
"So what do I call you now?" Andy asked, looking up into her eyes, lifting a hand to tuck a stray stand of hair behind her ear.
"Mrs Ellen Moreau," Sharon said with an eye-roll and leant backwards – shaking her hair from her shoulders and resting her hands on Andy's upper-arms, so she could see his face. "I've got two children who live on the east coast, my husband of 40 years is a retired realtor – and I've never had to work a day in my life," she smiled wryly. "I'm a lady who lunches – apparently."
"Interesting," Andy smirked.
"Oh and that's not all," Sharon's lips curved into a sultry smile and she shifted in a little closer. "Don't tell anybody," she dropped her voice to a whisper. "But I hear, that I've got the hots for the new gardener."
"Me?"
"Uh-huh," Sharon nodded and pulled him down for another kiss; allowing herself to steal one more moment of happiness, before living a week of hell.
TBC
Notes: Thanks for reading :)