Rusty Beck stares at the open casket in the large cathedral-like church. Adorned in gold and flooded with many statues of various saints. He becomes lost in his thoughts. His mother used to sculpt, he remembers. When he was much younger, before the lines of boyfriends and the lines of cocaine came. Before the rubber bands tied to her arm, there was a young artistic free spirit.
Sharon Raydor leans over, gently touching the boy's arm, "Are you okay? Do you need a breather?"
He snaps out of it quickly and shakes his head, "I'm fine." He offers her a quick smile, "You didn't have to buy her the dress."
"Yes, I did." She nods slowly, "She brought you into the world. Though her actions were terrible and stupid, if she didn't do them, you wouldn't be in my life. So, I suppose I can thank her for that much."
"Always optimistic." He chuckles softly, "You didn't have to do all this. Really. No one is even going to come."
"I don't care if they do, or if they don't. She deserves this, Rusty. Even the worst person in the world deserves this." Sharon watches him, her head swinging over her shoulder when she hears the doors of the church open and a middle aged couple enter, not too much older than herself. She looks back to the front, the other officers in pews behind her. She knows who these people are.
The woman walks up to the casket, a tissue in her hand. Her ensemble telling a million stories...mostly of a million dollars. This woman is well off, as is her husband who appears stoic. Her blonde hair pulled up onto her head. She spends a moment at the side of the casket before turning and seeing the other people in the pews. The boy in particular catches her eye. She quickly pinches her husband's arm to garner his attention to look as well.
"You think that's her's?" He stands straighter, older than his wife by what appears to be ten years or so.
"Only one way to find out." The woman moves to the pew, sitting in the front without a kneeler. She turns around, "I didn't know Sharon was Catholic."
"I really don't care what she was." Rusty glances to the woman, "I go to school here, so this is where I wanted it."
"And who are you?" She raises an eyebrow.
"What's it to you?" He makes a face.
Sharon sighs, "Pardon him, it's all a bit much for everyone today." She nods, "I'm Sharon Raydor and this is..." She wants to take it back. She doesn't want these people to know who he is. She doesn't want them to take him from her.
The older man turns and grins, "You look like my daughter." He stretches his hand out, "Russell Beck. This is my wife, Hannah. We're...We're your grandparents."
Rusty swallows, looking to them, "My grandparents?" He glances to Raydor, sitting next to him, before turning back to the couple, "I'm...I'm Rusty." He swallows.
Hannah glances down to her attire before looking back to the boy, "I can only assume you're orphaned now, or do you have a father to tend to that..."
"No. I'm fine where I am." He mumbles.
Sharon sighs softly, "Rusty's father voluntarily gave up rights. He's been living with me for a year or so now."
"You have family." Hannah nods, "You'll come and stay with us."
"I'm afraid it's a bit more complicated than that-" Raydor begins to say.
"No. I'm not moving again. I'm happy where I am. You guys kicked my mom out when she was knocked up with me. Why would I want to live with you after that?" Rusty glares, becoming increasingly angry, "You're not even sad. That was your daughter and you don't even care." He gets up, storming through the side door of the church.
Sharon Raydor lets go a breath she wasn't aware she was holding, "Excuse me a moment." She nods, following him. She looks around, following the steps to the small area under the church, "Rusty?"
Rusty sits on the floor, next to the door. He swallows, watching her look around and not see him there, "I don't want them here. I knew this was a bad idea." He can't cry in front of people, but lately, Sharon Raydor wasn't just other people.
She turns, seeing him. She walks over next to him, slowly lowering herself to the floor to sit with him, "Want to talk about it?"
"No." He mumbles, "We know how this is going to end."
"Rusty, your mother lied about your father. Maybe she lied about her parents as well." Sharon shrugs, "We really have no idea. However, like it or not, they are your grandparents and they may seek rights to you."
"Like it or not Daniel Dunn was my father too, and we saw how well that went."
"Grandparents are different."
"You don't know that." Rusty shakes his head, feeling a tear leave his eye, "Please don't make me go with them."
"We have to follow the law regarding this, Rusty." She swallows, watching him and knowing better not to touch him at that point, "They can't take you anywhere right now. They have to petition the court and-"
"Then I need a lawyer." He quickly wipes his cheek, "I don't...I don't have money for a lawyer."
"Maybe they won't. Maybe they'll let you stay where you are and they'll want to get to know you."
Rusty shakes his head, "You know that isn't true. The look on that woman's face says it all."
"Also, you're named after your grandfather. I bet you probably didn't know that." Sharon listens to him, "Just let them get to know you and you get to know them and if it isn't working out for you, I'll give Gavin a call." She swallows, leaning her head back a little, against the wall, "You have to calm down though. Think positively."
"I don't want to lose..." He stops himself, blinking. "I can't, Sharon."
"This is almost over. Then we'll go home. I'll give your grandparents-"
"I only just met them."
Sharon sighs, correcting herself, "Fine, I'll give those people that were sitting in the pew in front of us my contact information. How is that?"
"Whatever. Mom wouldn't have run for no reason." Rusty swallows, "That's all I'm saying."
"I've dealt with moody sixteen year olds several times over now and I can tell you, they're quite capable of anything." She offers him a soft smile, "I'll just give them my number to the house and the office. Sometimes my rank alone scares people..."
"Then they get to know you and they're still terrified." He smirks, then clears his throat, attempting to clear his thoughts of all the ways he'd be taken from this woman's home. This woman who in just over a single year has treated him better than all the years his biological mother ever treated him combined. "And they can't try to take me?"
"I will be honest with you, as I always have been, they may try and petition the court, but not today. Today, we handle this however you please. The rest of the squad is here, they'd never let those people take you without a fight, neither would I." Sharon nods, "I can promise you that."
He smiles a little, standing with little to no effort, "Do I have to talk to them?"
"Well, I'd appreciate it if you weren't rude to those people. It may give them the wrong idea, but I will leave it entirely up to you whether you want to talk to them or not." She watches him.
Rusty watches her a moment, "Need help getting up?" He offers her his hands.
"Yes, I do." Sharon takes hold of his hands, letting him gently pull her up. "Thank you."
He nods, "Anytime...Just a little bit longer?"
She takes a look to her watch, "Service is starting shortly, then we get to go. They're going to cremate her remains. That way you're able to have her with you at all times."
Rusty raises an eyebrow, "And she isn't able to leave for a change." He walks ahead of her up the stairs, returning to his seat in the pew with his foster mother close behind. He pays no mind to the people in front of them.
A round faced old Polish man, Father Joe has always been one of the most caring old men Sharon has ever known. When he married she and her husband some thirty years before, Father Joe saw something in the man and attempted to talk her out of the ceremony...the only time he ever felt the need to do so in his fifty years of priesthood. Because of such, he was always her go to in times of trouble. He was the automatic choice to perform the service.
Amy Sykes crouches as she walks over to her superior officer, mumbling something in her ear.
Sharon nods, "Of course. Take Detective Sanchez with you." When the young woman returns to the man, she can't help but smile when Julio takes a moment to genuflect in the aisle before turning his back to the alter.
Rusty watches as they leave, glancing to his foster mother for a reason. He nods when she mouths that she'd tell him later. He manages to keep his emotions in check
After leaving the church, Sharon turns to the Becks who were following closely behind. "Mister and Missus Beck, it was a pleasure to meet you." She offers her hand. Taking a mental note when the woman turns away from her and continues to the car, but her husband eagerly shakes it with a grin.
"Thank you for caring for my grandson." Russell Beck nods, "Say, Rusty, your grandmother and I would love to have you over the house sometime soon. We'd love to show you old pictures and things. Your mother's room even. I'm sure there's plenty in there she'd love for you to have."
When she notices Rusty isn't going to respond, Sharon does so for him, "I think that sounds like a great idea. I'll give you a call when things have-"
"Settled, good idea." He nods, "I don't want to make you uncomfortable in any way. Whenever you're ready, Rusty."
"How about never." Rusty mumbles, mostly to himself.
"Thank you so much, Mr. Beck." Sharon grins to the older man.
"Of course. It was great to meet you, Rusty." A part of Russell wanted to reach out and hung the teenager, but knew by his standoffish way that it wouldn't help his case. The boy was very much like his mother, and not only with looks, "Same to you, Captain Raydor."
"Likewise." Sharon beamed, watching the man return to their car and pull off, "I asked that you be civil."
"No, you said I didn't have to talk if I didn't want to. I didn't want to." Rusty shakes his head, "What was that about with Detectives Sykes and Sanchez?"
"Oh, well, some good news" She nods, "They believe they've found Morgan in Las Vegas and have him in custody there."