Driving back to the station, Sharon held Brenda's hand, waiting for her to speak. After about 5 minutes, she glanced over, and saw that Brenda's cheeks were dry, and her breathing more even.
"You were very brave, back there." Sharon said quietly.
Brenda choked out a small laugh.
"I think most people would've called it reckless. Dangerous. Foolish. That's what Fritz would say." Brenda rolled her eyes.
"Listen. I don't speak for anyone but myself, Chief. In my opinion, facing down Meyers was an act of great bravery. You scared the hell out of me, I'll be honest. But because of you, Marisol is safe, and so are all those girls who were locked in the Van. You made a difference in a lot of lives, tonight, Brenda. Don't let anyone diminish that because of fear." Sharon squeezed Brenda's hand once, before letting go, and pulled into the parking garage.
Putting the car into Park, and keying off the ignition, Sharon leaned back in her chair. She knew that they had to finish the paperwork. She knew that her assignment with the team was officially complete. She felt a pang of disappointment, and pushed it down. She put her hand on the door handle, ready to open it, when she heard the Chief say her name.
"Sharon." Brenda had turned her body to face the driver's seat.
"Yes?" Sharon replied, turning back to look at the blond woman.
"I need a minute before we go up there. Can we take the stairs, do you think? I mean, will you walk with me?" Brenda asked hopefully.
"Indeed, Chief." Sharon replied.
The women got out of the car, and as Brenda walked around to join Sharon, she realized she was still clutching the woman's coat like a security blanket. Lowering her head, she gave one last deep inhale, relishing the citrus sting in her lungs, and then she stepped into place next to the Captain, holding out the jacket to return it. Sharon took it, and shook it out, and then draped it around the Chief's shoulders, letting her arm rest along the same plane. They stepped into the stairwell, it was well lit, but rarely used, and had a faint, musty scent, reminiscent of spilled gasoline.
"Why did what I did tonight scare the hell out of you?" Brenda asked, as they walked up the first of several flights of steps. "You'd think you'd be used to reckless cop behavior, being the head of FID."
Sharon stopped on the landing, and leaned against the railing, trying to choose her words carefully.
"What you did, if Fritz hadn't been there to take the shot, you might have been killed. At the very least, you'd have quite a headache for a while. That was frightening, to me." She finally said, looking down at her shoes.
"Officers die in the line of duty all the time, though, Captain." Brenda said, pulling the woman's jacket closer around her shoulders.
"Officers aren't you, Brenda." Sharon's eyes widened as she realized she'd given voice to that thought.
Brenda looked at her, meeting her slightly surprised gaze, and took two purposeful steps forward, cupping her hand to Sharon's cheek. She traced her thumb across the Captain's lower lip. Sharon let her lips part, and Brenda dipped her thumb in, trailing it across the smooth skin inside.
"The first time I did this, I couldn't stop thinking about what it would be like to kiss you, you know? I wondered how your lips would taste, if you would kiss me back, or push me away. I wondered if you thought about kissing me." Brenda whispered breathlessly.
Sharon held her gaze, and nodded almost imperceptibly. Brenda leaned in, closing the distance between them, and pressing her lips to Sharon's. She kept her hand against Sharon's cheek, slowly moving her lips against the Captain's. Sharon sighed into the kiss, and brought her hands to rest on the Chief's hips, relishing the feel of their bodies pressed so closely, of the Chief's soft lips on hers. She felt Brenda's tongue tracing the bow of her lip, begging access, and she opened to her, tasting the sweetness of her mouth, as the first contact of their tongues touching made her gasp. Brenda's hand moved around from her cheek to the back of her neck, tangling gently in the hair there. Sharon nipped Brenda's lower lip, and the Chief gave a small moan.
Sharon used her back muscles to push off of the wall, and quickly spun them around so Brenda was against it. She'd wanted this for so long. And tonight, she'd almost lost it all. She pressed herself against Brenda, working her leg in between those gorgeous thighs, still covered by the floral dress. Brenda clutched at her back, pulling her closer, holding her in the kiss, teasing with her tongue. Eventually, they had to stop for breath, but Sharon feathered kisses along Brenda's jaw, as Brenda took one hand, and stroked it down Sharon's cheek, down the elegant expanse of her throat, and bumping over her collarbones, before cresting the swell of her breast through the white button down shirt. Sharon smiled against Brenda's skin, remembering her initial impression that Brenda had been interrupted that first time around. She felt her nipples harden beneath the cups of her bra, and she moaned, sucking hard on the delicate skin at the Chief's neck.
"Sharon. My Sharon" Brenda whispered, running her hands up and down the woman's sides, her back, mapping her body with her fingertips. Sharon reached down, and stroked the outer side of Brenda's thigh through the dress, and Brenda sighed at the contact, reaching down and fisting her skirt in her hands, baring more of her leg. Sharon's fingers ghosted gently along the long lines of Brenda's legs, as her mouth blazed a trail from her jaw to the scooped neck of the dress. Brenda slid her hands under Sharon's jacket, and pulled the hem of her shirt free from the waistband of her trousers, feeling the heat of the Captain's skin beneath her palms. Sharon raised her head and captured Brenda's lips in another kiss, pressing their bodies together, sliding a hand up to cup Brenda's breast, cursing the many layers of fabric between them. Brenda arched her back, wanting to be as close to Sharon as possible. The railing ground into her tailbone, reminding her of their location. She broke the kiss, pushing Sharon back a bit.
"We can't..." She said, her voice husky with desire.
Sharon stepped immediately back, straightening her jacket and schooling her features into a mask of indifference.
"Of course. Fritz." She began tucking her shirt back into her pants.
"What? No. NO!" Brenda realized she'd been grossly misunderstood. She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Sharon's unyielding figure. "No. I just meant, not here. Not in a stairwell, not for something as important as this. I want to be able to see you, to touch all of you. I can't do that here. I want more than, just, up against a wall. I want...you. God, I've wanted you since the first day you walked onto my Crime Scene, trying to take over. But ever since the Moore case, it's been...I don't even know what to say, I can't stop thinking about you. I think about you when I shouldn't. These past few days, they've been like the most exquisite torture, because you're right there, and you're still so far out of my reach. I didn't mean to hurt you, just now. I just want this to be right. I don't want you to think that it's just because some nutjob almost shot me. Because it's not. I mean, it is, a little bit, because who knows how long I would've kept dancing around my feelings, but the feelings have always been there, Sharon. I tried to hate you. I tried so hard. I just-"
Sharon leaned her head forward and covered Brenda's lips with her own, stopping the tidal wave of words with a sigh.
"Indeed, Chief." Sharon's voice, soft around the edges, said everything she needed to say, with those two words.
Brenda held her tight, in a crushing hug, and finally, Sharon relented, circling her arms around Brenda's waist, resting her cheek on the Chief's soft blond hair. After a moment, she pulled back, and gestured towards the door.
"How about we take the elevator the rest of the way up?"
"Sounds good, Cap'n." Brenda replied, pulling the door into the parking garage open and stepping through, holding it open behind her for Sharon. They walked over to the elevators, and Brenda pushed the call button. She stood with her shoulder touching the Captain's, the backs of their hands brushing. The elevator doors slid open.
"After you, Sharon." Brenda stepped aside, and didn't hide the fact that she was enjoying the view, as the Captain walked into the elevator, smirking.
"Damn the paperwork. I just want to go home." Sharon said, as Brenda leaned in to kiss her neck.
"Funny. Home's the last place I want to be right now." Brenda replied, sliding her hands down the fronts of Sharon's thighs.