With a Bit of Luck Chapter 3

After leaving Captain Raydor and Chief Johnson in the conference room, Andy made his way to the break room and dropped heavily into a chair, still fuming. He rolled his neck and fiddled uncomfortably with his sling as he tried to calm down. The whole situation was getting out of control, and if he was not careful with his temper he could get thrown into a anger management seminar as well.

Down the hall Sharon followed the Chief out of the conference room, she walked by the ninth floor break room on the off chance he would be there. When she saw him through the glass she took a breath and entered the room.

At the intrusion, Andy looked up, "Careful, Captain. Don't want it to look like you are informing your suspect of something confidential."

Sharon rolled her eyes, "Andy, you know I can't reveal information about a case against you, to you. There may be something going on here between us, but nothing that I would allow to jeopardize the department or my career. The people in my division are investigating the allegation."

Andy huffed at her words, "Come on, you know I did not tamper with that witness." He started to say more, but chose not to speak. He had already said his peace in the other room. He did not need to blow up again. Instead, he tried to calm down by rolling out the tension in his neck, as he waited for her reply.

Sharon dropped her defensive stance and took a half step in his direction. However, cognizant of their public setting she stopped just short of the table. "I know, but that does not mean we can ignore an accusation... You should get home and get some rest. You are never going to heal if you stay up here like this." When he gave no indication he was planning to move, she stepped back and sighed, "Okay, ignore me. No matter what happens, you know me. My people will work this case the same as all of the others, and the evidence will speak for itself. You are right. You have been exonerated of every charge in your package. But still..." Sharon trailed off, ready to leave the room. Before turning she reminded him, "I am not the enemy, Lieutenant. I couldn't say anything. You know that."

As she pulled down the door handle he lamented, "Sure, Captain. Not the enemy… but it still feels like I am being blindsided by someone I trusted. Like my entire career is once again under the microscope."

She took her hand off of the handle and loosely crossed her arms around the file at her chest, "You should trust me. Microscope or not, there is a procedure in place. You will have to continue to sit out until you are cleared by my department, and your doctor." She paused, waiting for him to make eye contact. "Come on, Andy. Don't act like you don't understand what is going on." She uncrossed her arms and reiterated more firmly this time, "I am not the enemy."

"Fine," he grumbled impassively back at her. After a few moments of silence between them, he relaxed his shoulders slightly and pulled his eyes away. He rolled his neck again and rubbed his left hand between the strap of the sling and his neck.

When she still had not attempted to break the silence, he chanced a glance up at her, "Look I don't want to do this right now. Can you at least help your suspect over here out and get him some water? It is the least you could do for him while he waits for the results of the new investigation. I mean, you don't have to be so cold. After all he was just beaten."

Sharon let out a slow even breath at the request in an attempt to overcome her instant irritation at his comment. Cold? Rather than answer him directly, she smirked and walked across the room.

At the sound of the cabinet opening behind him Andy exhaled wearily. He waited for a moment, silently collecting his strength to head back to the Murder Room. Provenza would have to be his ride after all. He heard the freezer door open and close. A moment later, a glass full to the brim with ice cubes was unceremoniously placed on the table in front of him.

Andy stared at the delivery and angled his head in her direction, "Uh thanks?" He pointed to the glass, "For the ice. But, Captain, you seem to have forgotten the water..."

Sharon smirked down at him and turned back to the door. As she reached for the door handle once again, she tossed her head back casually, "Just wait, Lieutenant… It will melt."

His mouth fell open as she left the room. "Touché," he mumbled to himself. He grabbed the glass and slowly stood. Challenging her about her job was probably not his best decision today.

A couple of hours later Andy once again found himself in the passenger seat of his partner's service vehicle. The Chief had given the team a break for dinner, to recharge. Thankfully, Provenza had not put up too much of an argument against driving his partner home.

The two rode along in contemplative silence for blocks. Andy stared pensively out the front window, while his partner randomly hummed along to the radio. After a few songs, Provenza stole a glance at the other man, unsure if his partner was more physically sore after the fight or mentally upset after the investigation. He could tell he was upset about the day, and even though he did not really want to hear about it, he went ahead and broke the silence. "So, Raydor..." he sighed.

Andy rolled his eyes, still facing forward, "Yeah...?"

Provenza drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel, not really sure where to go from there. After a beat he raised an eyebrow toward his partner, "Well, hate to say you got yourself into this but, -"

"What are you talking about?" Andy interrupted tiredly. He looked over to his partner, and repeated with a sigh, "Youhate to say? You're kidding right? You're living for this."

Provenza nodded, eyes back on the road. "Well, sure I mean it is fun to watch you squirm under her glare, but I mean not the whole you're under investigation part." He paused and glanced over to his partner. "At least you know she will take care of the situation. I mean she may be many things - and I mean knowing you, you probably pissed her off pretty good when you found out - but at least she will get to the truth. We know the Zuman idiot is full of shit."

"Yeah, yeah," Andy sighed. "I know. And that's pretty much what she said too, I mean about getting to the truth. Of course I ran my mouth a bit. Looking back, maybe questioning those icy qualities of hers wasn't my best move."

Provenza chuckled, "No one has ever accused you of thinking clearly before you speak. Especially when your temper is flaring. What did she say?"

"Ah, not much." He shrugged from his seat. "But, I mean she did not offer me a ride home if that says anything."

His partner continued to laugh, "Well, I'll say it again. You get what you get when you play with that particular villain."

"Hey," Andy huffed back his partner. "Let's cool it with that. I mean I am already in enough trouble. I don't need you adding new names onto my list of mental insults."

Provenza flipped on his blinker, "Well, you did tell her you would work on finding a new one..."

"Funny guy," Andy breathed as he braced himself for the turn. "I only barely mention her coldness earlier and that left me alone in the break room with a cup of ice."

Provenza accelerated out of the turn, "What do you mean?"

Andy rolled his head in the other man's direction, "I guess I was still a bit keyed up after you know the whole, you've been accused of being a dirty cop and we haven't told you about it yet because we are investigating you - thing. So I was trying to piss her off a bit. I accused her of not caring, of being cold."

Provenza cringed slightly, "You are an idiot. You're lucky she didn't gut you."

"Yeah, well, public place and all..." Andy reasoned.

"Public place..." Provenza nodded, "Well, it's a good thing she doesn't know where you live or have a set of keys." The man paused and put his index finger to his chin as if he was thinking, "Oh, wait. She does." Provenza chuckled at his friends' displeased expression.

"You done?" Andy asked blankly. "You want me to finish the story?" The Lieutenant waved his hand in the air, signaling for him to go on. "So, as I was saying. I was probably being a bit of an ass, but I was keyed up and couldn't help but snipe back at her a bit. I said something like I, the suspect, would at least like to have some water while I waited for my sentencing... Well, she didn't like that. Instead, of a glass of water she plopped down a cup of ice and told me, it would melt."

At the joke, Provenza laughed so heartily that tears began to form in the corners of his eyes. "It would melt?" He let out between breaths. "Yeah, you're in it, pal."

Andy returned his face forward and stared back out the window, "Aware."

"The almost makes me forget how frustrated I was with you earlier." Provenza glanced over, "But my gods if she thinks she can sit on my desk."

Andy rolled his eyes, "You'll do what?"

"I'll think of something," Provenza stared out the window, "Something."

Andy smirked as his partner turned down his street, "Well, good luck with that."

Letting that comment slide, Provenza pulled up to Andy's house and put the car into park. "You good from here?"

"Yeah," Andy moaned as he stretched out of the seat. "I can make it."

Provenza leaned across the center console, "Good, because you don't look so good."

With his hand on the doorframe he frowned, "I couldn't begin to guess why."

"Be careful, Flynn." Provenza waved, righting himself back into his seat, "And don't think I didn't notice that little thing between you two and the files. If you're still speaking after all of this, it would be best to not try to start anything with me."

Andy shook his head and closed the door. When his partner drove away he smirked to himself, "Well, if everything clears up? Challenge accepted."

Once he entered his home, Andy did little more than change clothes and fall into bed. At least it was better than the couch. In bed he stared up at the ceiling and replayed the events of the last few days. He had gone from a good meeting to what he had hoped would be an even better dinner only to be nearly killed. Then he found himself accused of being the bad guy and all he could do was sit and wait to be cleared. Also, Provenza had uncovered his secret, and now that was even under question. He was pulled from his recollections by the sound of his phone buzzing beside him.

Squinting at the screen he swiped to answer. Without speaking he lifted the phone to his ear.

"You calmed down enough to speak to me?" Sharon's voice came over the line.

Andy rolled his eyes, "Depends. Are you?"

"Very mature." Sharon stated. "Of course I am, Andy. Now, this is not the first time you have been in this situation. I know you're upset because of the attack, but really."

Andy groaned into the receiver. "I know. I am still just a little pissed about all of this."

On her end of the line she raised her eyebrow, "A little?" She mocked, "Could have fooled me."

He ran his hand over his face, "Ha-ha. Very funny, Captain."

"Oh?" She perked up from her spot on her couch, "So, just Captain?"

Andy rolled his eyes again, "Well, I guess that depends on how this all goes. I'm not going to try to interfere with the investigation, and what did you say? Jeopardizeyour case or your reputation."

"That's a big word for you, jeopardize," she teased. "Glad to know you were listening."

Despite himself Andy smiled at her light-hearted banter, "Yeah, who knew the old dog had some new tricks up his sleeve."

"You've got the old part right," she pushed. "We shall see about the new tricks."

"Hey now, Raydor," he warned, feigning offense. "I can still pick up a on a few new things from time to time."

Sharon chuckled into the phone and shrugged, "Maybe." After a moment of silence over the line, she decided to readdress the case. "So, Andy. I think there may be a lead as to the connection between the assault and Zuman."

"Okay..." he drawled, "But I thought I was not to be involved?"

From her seat on her couch she nodded, "You're not. However, I do need you to come in tomorrow for an identification. We may be able to wrap it all up if this is the guy who spoke to you after the meeting."

"Goodie," Andy exhaled as he rolled onto his left side. "Have a few things I want to get off my chest."

"You are only going to be there long enough for an identification, Lieutenant." She warned.

Andy smirked, "Well, I am moving a little slow. I may accidentally spend more time there. You know, because of the whole thirty-something stitches thing."

Not allowing him to think he could pull one over on her she smiled sweetly, "Or we could just have a patrol officer drop by with a camera and a photo lineup..."

"Okay, okay." He sluggishly rolled back over and stared back at the ceiling, "You win. Identification and gone."

Sharon's smile grew at his response, "I knew you would see it my way."

"Seems to be the trend." He mused, "Don't you get tired of being right all of the time, Captain?"

Sharon sat up a little taller on her couch, "You know, come to think of it Lieutenant, it is a little bit exhausting. But, actually, no, not really." She laughed at the puff of air he let out and continued coyly, "This whole being right thing though may work to your advantage if we have the guy from the meeting. I have a feeling we will be able to clear up a couple different cases with this one... even the one that has put you, as you said, under the microscope."

Andy ran his left hand over his face again. "That's good to know. Although, you being right all of the time, does get kind of exhausting on my end as well. I mean to keep having to apologize."

She dropped her tone skeptically, "Really?"

"Yeah," he teased, "So, just to be safe, I think I will hold off on saying anything until it's done."

Sharon snorted, "You do that then."

Andy grinned at her response, "Night, Sharon."

"Good night, Andy. Get some rest and I'll see you tomorrow."

She pressed 'end' on the screen and stood from the couch.

Walking through and turning off the lights in her condo, she paused by the door. His torn leather jacket was still on the hook where she had hung it when she arrived home the other night. She ran her fingers over the slash through the side and shivered slightly, lucky day indeed.