A/N: Sorry for the delay and for the fact that this is a little bit of a shorter chapter... I have been completely distracted by Christmas prompts. Lol and I was not completely sure this story was still entertaining or not. I hope this chapter works and everyone is having a great week! I have some extended Christmas stories to share over the next couple of weeks, but we are also almost done with this idea. It spiraled a little bit a couple weeks ago, but I am reigning it in soon. Thank you for humoring my craziness. I appreciate you all so much!
With a Bit of Luck Chapter 9
- About a year earlier -
A tap on the door had Sharon lifting her head from the report she was writing. "Yes?" She drawled her eyes fixed on the door.
It slowly opened to reveal Andy casually leaning against the frame. He pulled his lips into a cocky half grin before teasing, "Captain, so friendly. Is that how you welcome a fellow officer?"
Sharon rolled her eyes as Andy stepped calmly into her office. "Well," she cooed dropping her pen and leaning back in her chair. "That all depends on the reason for the visit." She gave Andy a questioning glance inviting him to speak. Rather than reply he merely strolled across the room and dropped himself into the desk chair across from her. Seeing he was planning on staying, Sharon crossed her arms in her lap and raised an eyebrow in his direction, "Everyone else has left for the evening, Lieutenant. I even hear that Major Crimes was able to wrap up their case before the weekend." She paused briefly and sighed, "I guess your presence here suggests you all did not catch another. So, what are you doing down in here amongst the rats?"
Andy smiled at her phrasing and leaned back in his chair. He placed his arms lightly on the armrests and tapped his fingers against the leather cushions. "Excellent observation, Captain," he mocked sardonically. "We are finished for the evening," he looked through the glass behind him, "and it appears your team is out as well." Andy gestured to the empty room to emphasize his point. Leaning forward he continued to grin, "So, why are you still here? Dreaming up new ways to torture other hardworking officers?"
"You caught me," Sharon confirmed matter-of-factly. "That is exactly why I am still here. I am working on new ways to ruin all of your lives. Never mind the fact that the rules also help to insure your jobs and well-being, but," she shrugged and reached for her pen again, "who am I to know the importance of all of that for the department?"
At her calm explanation he laughed softly. "Yes," he mocked, "who are you to know about such things?"
Sharon raised her eyebrow again at his playful challenge. She righted the pen in her hand and glanced back down to her form. Not looking at him she sighed, "Okay, Lieutenant, but I am working. What are you doing here? I find it hard to believe that you just wanted to come down here and banter."
"I just thought that I would check on the Captain," he sighed leaning back in his chair again. "I thought I would let her know that my leg is feeling much better." He paused when she flinched slightly at the memory, but she did not look up from her task. "Yes," he continued, "my leg is healing nicely. Good thing I did not need those stitches after all, seeing as how I didn't quite make it to the doctor that evening."
Ignoring the last part of his statement she chided, "Well that is good to hear." She lifted her eyes from the report and drawled, "Is that all?"
"Well," Andy considered thoughtfully. "I guess I was also wondering if you happened to have any plans for the evening?"
"Any plans?" Sharon echoed suspiciously, "Are you joking? Since when do you care about my plans? Or let alone come down here for a friendly chat?"
Andy shrugged, "Well, since now. I would hate for you to get bogged down in this work nonsense, or any worries about who is a friend to have a 'friendly chat or not' B.S. It is the weekend after all." He paused his eyes sparkling as he met her steady gaze, "I would hate for you be stuck here. Don't you want to live a little? Get out of the office for a bit?"
"Of course, Lieutenant," she stated calmly, "but I do not need you for that. I do not need you to remind me that it is the weekend or to rescue me from my work."
Andy lifted his hands in front of him in surrender, "I think it is well established that you, Captain, do not need to be rescued." He nodded down to his leg again, "If anything I was the one in need of assistance last time… Also, I think you probably do well enough on your own in the getting out department."
Sharon nodded a bit surprised at the almost compliment, "True. So then, Flynn, I will ask again, why are you here?"
"I just wanted to see if you had any plans," he repeated casually.
Sharon dropped her pen again, "Plans?"
"Yes, plans. You see I do not happen to have any this evening, and I thought maybe we could get a coffee or something?"
She leaned back in her seat again and smirked, "I am not going out with you."
"Fine," Andy teased waggling his eyebrows, "We don't have to out. We can always stay in."
Sharon met his stare, "No, I do not think that is a good idea."
"You worried about someone finding out?" He probed. "No one suspected anything last time. I didn't say anything and you didn't either, right?"
"Right…" she drawled.
Andy leaned forward in his seat, "So, maybe they could keep on not knowing."
"And they will," Sharon quipped. "Because there is nothing else to know." When he remained seated close she tilted her head, "Why are you even asking? Aren't I the enemy?"
He shrugged before adding honestly, "Maybe you aren't so bad."
"Aren't so bad," she mocked. "Well, don't hurt yourself stumbling over the compliment Lieutenant. You do not have to be nice to me. I am a big girl, I do not need your friendship to keep me going."
Andy shook his head, frustrated with his own failed delivery. "I didn't mean it like that. I meant, well, maybe you aren't the wicked witch we all have come to know and loathe." She pressed her lips tensely together in thought as he continued, "And well, maybe, we could be friends of sorts. We could even drop the whole Captain-Lieutenant thing? Go with Andy?" When she still didn't speak he attempted to lighten the mood and tease, "Unless of course that is kind of a thing for you."
She let his words hang for a moment and smirked, "My thing? Geez Andy what are you twelve?"
He smirked again, "Probably." When she let out a short chuckle he took the opportunity to ask again, "So, what do you say, Sharon?"
Sharon calmly placed her hands in her lap. She eyed him determinedly, "No one can know." When he grinned she lifted her hand in the air to stop him from speaking and emphasized, "Ever. There will also be no casual visits down here, Lieutenant. No coffee dates, no meals." He nodded as she began to list her terms, "And this is not something that will continue. I am not going to risk anything for someone like you. Sound good?"
"Sure," he shrugged, "works for me." He ticked off his summary of the rules, "It's a big secret and maybe just a one-time thing. Well not counting the first time."
She nodded casually, "Exactly… and I am busy tonight so you will have to go home alone after all."
- Present Day -
"Okay," Andy grinned. "I'll admit to being the one who broke the original terms of the deal that evening by visiting your lair." Across the table Sharon hummed as she raised her glass to her lips. Andy's eyes tracked her movement as he continued, "but, Captain, all other signs may point to a mutual attraction developing over time."
Sharon raised an eyebrow in his direction as she placed the glass back on the table and teased, "That is a very astute observation, Lieutenant, but what if it was just a convenience thing?" She smirked as his expression changed from amusement to challengingly flirtatious.
"Well," he hummed. "I guess that would mean that we would not need to discuss the holidays this evening. I don't need to think about buying a ticket to meet you all out in Utah after my evening with Nic and Charlie..." he allowed his voice to trail, hoping he was reading the situation correctly. They had not outright discussed their holiday plans, but it did seem like they were going to be spending some of it together. She had mentioned something about telling her kids that she was considering ending things with their father. His conclusion from that plan was that she was going to also let them know there was someone else.
Across the table Sharon reached for her glass again and spun the stem between her fingers, her eyes fixed on the swirling liquid. She knew he was teasing, but she also knew he was close to the truth. They had both blurred the lines of their original intentions. They had both become more attached than either would have imagined. They had also exchanged keys, gone to a baseball game or two, and even driven up the PCH for a weekend away.
Their friendship had taken significant twists and turns over the last few decades, but this most recent one was the most surprising. It was surprising in the sense that the hotheaded arrogant Lieutenant Flynn was actually caring and passionate. She knew he was kind, deep down, but the years since her transfer to FID had shaken up their previously amiable acquaintance. Only recently was she realizing that there was something more, and that it may have been in the background for quite some time.
"Sharon?" Andy gently probed, interrupting her thoughts. She pulled her eyes away from her glass and met his gaze. He was smiling, but did look a little nervous as he watched her lose herself once again in her thoughts for the second time in less than a week.
An endearing smile began to tug at her lips as she stared back at him. His confident facade slightly falling as he worried about what she was about to say. "Sorry," she hummed, her lips curving into a more genuine smile. "I was just thinking about us."
Andy dipped his head slightly, "I may have picked up on that." He lifted his mouth into a half grin and jokingly pointed to his chest, "After all, I am one of those elite detectives and everything. Plus, I may or may not know you well enough to see when you get a little spooked or lost in your thoughts."
Sharon returned his grin and matched his light hearted tone, "Oh really, now? And what pray tell would I be spooked about?"
Andy leaned back in his chair and chuckled softly, "How you are realizing that I may not be the only clingy one at the table."
"Is that right, Lieutenant?" Sharon casually tossed back at him. "I guess we could discuss that idea a little more, or maybe we could talk about -" She stopped speaking as she noticed Andy's face pale slightly. His eyes were directed at a point somewhere behind her. Sharon turned slowly in her seat and cringed internally when she saw what had distracted him.
At the entrance to the patio seating area stood Agent Howard being directed to a table by a host. Sharon spun back around in her chair and leaned in slightly as she whispered his earlier words across the table, "Drive up to Malibu? We shouldn't run into anyone up there?"
Andy shrugged as he brought his eyes back down to meet hers, "Well, I mean it was not a bad plan." Sharon rolled her eyes as he continued, "Maybe he won't see us."
"Doubtful," Sharon sighed. "It seems the universe has different plans for us these days."
Andy tilted his head toward her, "What would be so bad about all of that? People were going to know enventually, right? I mean the world didn't stop when Provenza found out."
"I know," she quietly exhaled placing her hands on the table. "It's just, it was, I mean..." she stumbled over her words as her mind wrestled with what she wanted to say.
Andy reached out across the table and placed one of his hands over hers. He smiled encouragingly, "It's fine, Sharon. You didn't realize it had turned into something more. Take your time, breathe." He glanced up again to check on Fritz. While they were speaking, his wife joined had joined him and the pair was being directed across the patio. Andy looked back to Sharon, "but I agree. The universe may be pushing us a bit, because it's not just Howard and they may or may not be walking in this direction."
