Author's Note: I am so grateful for all of those who take the time to read, favorite, follow PM's and to those who leave reviews. Thank you! A special thanks to lontanissima and Roni, who has been so kind to give her time and beta for me.

Chapter 5

Misunderstood

Sharon arrived home after closing a case and found Abby and Rusty sitting on the couch, watching one of those horror movies he always rented, but she refused to sit through. It was pleasing to see how easily they had connected. She smiled slipping by them with a hello and a few shared words and sneaking away to get comfortable. She considered joining them, but decided to indulge in soaking in the bathtub instead. She felt guilty, she was supposed to be spending her free time with them, but she also knew Abby and Rusty would encourage her to treat herself.

Sharon hummed along to the music that was playing softly in the background. She rubbed the sponge along her arms, stopping at her fingertips, tilting her head at her chipped nail polish. She dropped the sponge, making a weak pop as it hit the water. She brought her hand in front of her and picked at the light pink nail polish.

Andy knocked on Sharon's office door, she looked up and smiled at him. It had been a rough case and seeing him always made her feel better. However, her smile quickly faded when she let the feelings she was suppressing sneak up on her. She looked away from him and tried to even her breathing.

"Sharon?" He voiced worriedly stepping inside.

"You are heading home, right?" She asked rubbing her hands together, she was not in the mood for his company. Andy took a step back toward the door, there was no confusion in her voice, she was dismissing him. She looked back up at him.

"Umm, yeah, alright." He scratched the back of his head. He looked back and saw the others leaving. They always spent a few minutes alone and now she was pushing him away. "Did I say or do something stupid?" He was being assertive, but even though both were dancing around a line, he hated leaving any confusion or hurt between them.

Sharon's eyes widened with apology and she shook her head at him.

"Andy, no, of course not." She smiled weakly, she would never use that word to describe him. Maybe stubborn and hot-heated, but he was smart, very smart.

Ever since Abby had told her about their outings for milkshakes, she could not break the images that had started to play in her mind. Would they go out on a date? She hated the thought of them together, but even if she gained the courage to say something, she had no right to.

"Then you wouldn't mind me walking you to your car?" He asked.

She hummed. How could she resist that grin of his?

"Only if you let me drive you to yours." She returned his smile as she reached into the desk for her keys. "Ouch!" She said softly in pain and sucked on the tip of her finger.

Andy frowned walking over to her. "Are you alright?"

"Just caught my nail." She looked down at her hand, "Nothing serious." Andy moved over to her and grimaced.

Sharon got lost in the smell of his cologne as he leaned over her shoulder. His warm breath brushed against her neck as he spoke, "Well, your nail polish won't agree." She did everything she could to keep her body from trembling.

Sharon felt like she had to put space between them and pushed him back by his chest as she stood up. "Very funny." He only took one step backwards leaving them face to face, her hand still on his chest, and their eyes met. When he saw a plea in them, he didn't waste a minute and stepped back. She looked away and swallowed the sound that was caught in her throat.

Damn it. He kept screwing up.

Andy nervously watched her as she gathered her things. The sigh that escaped her matched the emotions in her eyes. He could see her shoulders were tense and she was doing everything to not look at him. He could not help himself when he was beside her and forgot how she felt about his advances. Once she had all her things, he noticed the tight smile she shared with him and it made him feel sick.

Sharon scratched off the remaining nail polish and rubbed it between her fingers before she closed her eyes. She took a long breath before submerging herself completely under the tub.

What are you doing, Sharon?

She had to stop thinking about Andy, but just the thought of his name made her want to pick up her cellphone and call him; to talk to him and hear his voice. Even do more than just call him.

She groaned, letting the bubbles come up to the top of the tub.

Andy opened his front door and naturally tossed his keys towards the entry table. He knew instantly he had used too much strength when he heard a loud clatter. When he turned back from hanging his jacket, he watched as his white vase fell from the corner of the table and shattered on the floor.

"Goddammit!" He bellowed. That was all he needed. One more thing to make his night even worse. He hit the wooden table's leg with a rough kick and grumbled all the way to his kitchen. He tugged the trashcan back to the entrance and tossed each piece of white glass in the bin with force. His hands shook with anger. "Shit," he shouted and it vibrated through the walls of his empty apartment.

Andy once enjoyed the silence, the seclusion, but it had begun to terrify him. Would he always be alone?

He dropped back onto his bottom and leaned against the wall. His hand rubbed his face and let out an exasperated breath as he roughly pulled at the knot of his tie. He had a large apartment for himself and he still felt suffocated in its loneliness.

It was not just the apartment but his life. Andy had begun to feel like a burden to his family. He had just returned from his grandson's birthday party, but just as quickly as he had arrived, he had been asked to leave by Nicole after a disagreement with his ex-wife. Just when he had felt like progress was being made, he let his ex-wife's insinuations get the best of him.

Nicole.

He would never have the right to explain himself. He had already disappointed her too many times for her to ever believe him. His hand moved against the tension that built in his neck as he looked at the white pieces of glass still on the floor. It sounded like a cliché, but they were as broken as he felt. Impossible to put back together.

He pulled out his phone and went to his favorites list.

Sharon.

He needed to hear her voice. He looked at the time and knew it was far too late. He tossed his phone in front of him and rubbed his face with his palms.

The following morning Sharon carefully climbed out of bed. She hadn't slept all night, her mind was on Andy. More correctly Abby and Andy. She had never been that girl. The girl that was consumed by the thoughts of the cute boy. But there was something different about him. Something that made her weak in the knees when he was close by and consumed her thoughts.

She dressed with caution not wanting to wake Abby, knowing her sister had been up working late. She had always preferred working through the night, while Sharon had always functioned best in the mornings. It was a hassle growing up when Abby wanted to talk through the night, but Sharon had to be up before dawn.

It was Saturday morning and thankfully the team had no case. Sharon sat on the couch in the living room and laced up her tennis shoes, then strapped her iPhone case around her arm. She stood up and popped in her headphones before zipping up her jacket.

As a girl she had been a swimmer and her coach had always encouraged her to run for stamina. She had kept to it her entire life. However, after taking on Major Crimes she had less of an opportunity, but never missed on the mornings she was not called in for a case. She started at the top of the stairs like every free morning and ran down the steps of her building. She made her way out the front entrance and slipped on her sunglasses as she turned right.

It was comforting.

Sharon inhaled the cool morning air and easily found her pace. When everything else felt out of her hands, this was something she had control over. She practiced her breathing, worked on her form and pushed herself.

It was her escape.

It was customary for her to run a few miles to clear her mind and then she looped back around. The only company she had was her music, classical, which always calmed and eased her.

As she hit her mark, she crossed the street and turned back towards her building. She kept her head up and back straight, and took a breath through her nose and released it through her lips. It filled her with clean air and pure thoughts. She loved the feeling of her muscles being worked out, it energized her. The sweat covering her body felt exhilarating.

The music was interrupted by a beep. She frowned hitting the button along the thread of her earbuds to answer the call.

Her breathing was heavy as she answered the call, "Captain Raydor."

"Sharon?"

She exhaled at the sound of his voice.

Crap!

"Andy," He heard her call from the other end between a little pant. He fell silent, his eyebrows drawing together. It wasn't a mistake, she really sounded breathless. Try as he might he could not stop his imagination from wandering. "Lieutenant?" She breathed out through a heavier pant.

Sharon was frustrated at the silence from the other line. What was he waiting for? He had called her, not the other way around. She had started to rid herself of the tension and stress, but it seemed she could never truly clear her mind of him. The thought confused her. Since when had Andy started causing her stress?

He continued listening to her heavy breathing and let the words slip, "What are you doing?" Sharon froze in her stride, frowning. Andy shook his head at himself rubbing his hand along his forehead.

"Excuse me?" She breathed out with a bit of force in her voice, making Andy swallow nervously.

But then she exhaled a breath that made his mind wander further. What the hell could she be doing? And the answers he conjured only brought him mischievous thoughts. Ones that he should not be having about his best friend.

He cleared his throat, "Sorry, I just meant - did I wake you?" He failed miserably. He could hear her rolling her eyes.

Her answer was brief and cold, "No, did we catch a case?"

She was annoyed, there was no mistake, he knew her well. He had listened to her use that tone many times. Even if he had not been on the other end in months, Andy was no stranger to that sound. And it quickly made him regret calling her.

"Uh, no." He answered awkwardly. Damn it, his mind was conjuring dangerous images with the sounds she was making. He shook his head trying to settle his mind. He could not contain his curiosity and the words were out before he could stop himself, "Sharon, where are you?"

It caught her off guard. "Out for a run," she said slightly amused after imagining the things Andy could have been thinking, she actually felt herself blush under her already heated skin.

The idea of Sharon breathless and sweaty and in workout clothes made him shift on the couch and take a deep breath. He had to restrain himself from asking her what she was wearing.

"Where do you run?" He asked instead standing up from his couch trying to get a better image.

"Where do I run?" She panted again. "Are you going to stalk me, Andrew Flynn?" She asked confused. She made her way back into her building and slowed down her pace. "Andy, you never told me why you called." Sharon started up the stairs of her building and her breath grew shallow and her voice annoyed.

Damn it. He couldn't concentrate.

She frowned at his silence.

He swallowed. She was asking why he had called. She was already on edge, should he really problem her with his issues? He wanted to tell her about the previous night. That he needed to hear her voice, because she always settled his worries. But then was he burdening her, too, just like he was with his family. They were his problem, not hers.

"Sorry, I'll let you finish your run."

Sharon frowned when she heard his disappointment. She may have been annoyed, but now she was concerned. He was upset. She thought for a moment, he had said something about a birthday party for his grandson and now something was wrong.

"What happened?" She asked, feeling guilty.

"Nothing, really. I'll let you go." She heard him sigh.

"Andy?" She was troubled now, but the other line went silent. She exhaled a guilty breath as the music returned.

Crap!

She was being selfish. He would have recognized her hesitance to talk to him. And for what reason, because he had a milkshake with her sister? Was she jealous?

"I'm not jealous!" She panted and it echoed through the staircase. Then she groaned loudly at how silly it rang as it surrounded her.

Sharon arrived at her floor and started pacing the hallway. She pulled out her phone from her case and dialed him back. She closed her eyes when there was an extra ring after the usual three.

"Hey," She said softly when he answered. "You hung up." She tried to smile, but knew she had done wrong.

"Sorry, Sharon, I wasn't trying to interrupt your morning." He sighed apologetically opening the door out to the balcony.

It was no secret how he felt about her. That he wanted to explore the feelings he had for her. But she had also been honest and told him there was no possibility. Never. He did not want her to feel like he was pressuring her to have more than a friendship.

"Andy, talk to me." He closed his eyes at the softness of her voice and it hurt.

Sharon opened her front door and walked inside. She knew her attitude had him second guessing whether he should talk to her or not. What kind of a friend am I? "Are you okay?" She whispered as her breathing evened.

His voice is soft and hesitant, "It was a bad afternoon yesterday. I needed to talk to you." He just wanted to hear her voice. He needed her company.

Sharon smiled softly and her eyes closed. She had done the same many times before, but he had never once answered a call and sounded disappointed the way she had. He always answered the call willingly and kindly and created a safe place when she needed it. He treated her like a friend should treat a friend.

Her voice was tentative when she spoke again, "We can talk about it." Andy shook his head, he was not going to burden her again with his problems.

"Maybe some other time." He answered softly. It was stupid, he should have never called her.

Her heart sank. She had pushed him too far. She drank some water to try and catch her breath.

Say something.

"Can we meet?" Andy heard her ask.

"No, that's alright." He answered calmly.

"I insist," Sharon voiced. "Please." He smiled, she always used that to convince him. How could he not say yes when she asked that way? Then she used another one of his weaknesses. "At the beach? Please?" she asked again.

There was a long moment of hesitation before he answered.

"Yeah," he said softly.

Sharon smiled as they agreed on a time before hanging up, then she turned to the footsteps approaching, grinning when Abby appeared yawning.

"Good morning," Sharon said quietly.

"Good morning, hot stuff," Abigail chuckled at her sister when she saw her skin glowing. "Sweat looks good on you." Sharon rolled her eyes as Abby took her glass of water. "You went for a run?" She nodded as she poured a second glass for herself. "Are we going to the beach?" Abby hopped onto the counter top, yawning for a second time.

Sharon didn't look up immediately—there was that nasty feeling again—when she did, she gave her a small smile. She couldn't lie to her sister and wouldn't disappoint Andy. They would go out together and make a day of it.

"You interested?" Sharon asked as she tried to control her expression.

"Of course," Abby smiled running her hands over her legs. "I could use a little sun. Who is joining us?" Abby pointed at the phone, she had heard the tail end of the conversation.

Sharon took a sip of water to clear the knot in her throat. It was the most convenient plan to accommodate everyone, but she was already going insane at the idea of Andy and Abby being together. What would seeing them together at the beach do? There was that jealous feeling again.

I am not jealous.

"Lieutenant Flynn." It was a hair above a whisper, but Abby's face lit up.

"Andy," she said excitedly, she bit her bottom lip. "You just made my morning," Abby kissed her sisters cheek and hurried off to the bedroom. Sharon let out a long breath and closed her eyes before she lifted her phone and sent a message.

Andy stepped out of the shower and lifted his phone.

Mind if Abby and Rusty join us?

He was slightly disappointed, but he wanted to see Sharon and if a group outing was the only way, he would take it. He liked the kid and Abby was good company too. He texted back and walked to his closet to get dressed.