While You're Making Other Plans
by Miss Shannon and Glistening Sun
Chapter 18
Andy reacted on pure instinct. Not caring about people around him, he ran out of the shop, reaching for his gun as he sprinted across the road. He cursed himself for having parked for far away. He cursed himself for having left Sharon alone in the first place. She had been fast asleep when he'd left her, pregnant and defenceless and now some creep was after her. Could it be Stroh? Oh dammit, he should have woken her up before leaving, he should have parked closer to the café. With a few more large steps he rounded the corner and sighed in relief when the car was still parked in the space he had left it in, seemingly undisturbed. He crouched down behind a row of vehicles inching towards Sharon's side of the car, his heart beating in his chest. One more step – and then he saw her, mouth slightly open and, it seemed, still sleeping peacefully. Oh God. Thank God. She was still here. He looked again - There was someone in the car with her! A tall man sitting in the driver's seat. Had he walked right into a kidnapping attempt?
Before the kidnapper could start the car, Andy's legs catapulted him forward across the stretch of road. His vision narrowed and everything around him disappeared, his whole being focussed on getting to the guy before he could hurt Sharon. He would put a bullet in his head if he so much as dared make a wrong move, never mind the consequences. A couple of long strides that seemed to take forever in his mind he reached the driver's side and yanked open the door, roughly grabbing the man's neck and pressing his gun into his temple, "LAPD. Do not move, asshole, or I'll blow your brains out," his voice was quiet and surprisingly calm considering the rapid beating of his heart. He pushed the gun against the dark blond hair, "Put your hands on the wheel."
The man slowly lifted his hands, not daring to do anything else, "Andy?"
Andy shook his head to clear his mind. Where had he heard that voice before? It sounded familiar, and not in a negative way. He shook his head again pressing the gun harder against the guy's temple - and then it occurred to him: the dark blond hair, the perfectly tailored cashmere suit, the light pink shirt.
"Gavin? What the fuck are you doing here?"
Gavin waved his hand, "Jesus Christ, put away that gun, will you? Now I know what she meant when she said you were overprotective! This is ridiculous!"
"Why are you in my car?"
Before Gavin had a chance to answer, tires squeaked, "LAPD, drop your weapon."
The two patrol officers had a hard time believing the story the Lieutenant and the distinguished looking lawyer were telling him. Something about a picture of their friend. A joke, the lawyer said, and he had clearly said he was looking after the woman. Sick, the Lieutenant said, his face red and the vein on his forehead pulsing prominently, sick and inappropriate. He should count himself lucky that he hadn't shot him on the spot! The officers looked at each other wordlessly and within a fraction of a second the younger one pushed the Lieutenant against the car and handcuffed him, reading him his rights while the other one radioed their shift commander for further instructions all the while trying to assure the lawyer that he had nothing to fear and would be safe. That lawyer sure had nerves of steel for someone who had just been held at gunpoint. If anything, the guy looked amused by it all.
"Officers, there is no need to arrest Lieutenant Flynn. I assure you, it was all an unfortunate misunderstanding. I am not pressing any charges, you can let Lieutenant Flynn go."
"Sir, that is not what we saw. Threatening to kill civilians is an inacceptable use of force. Diaz, call in FID. This is an LAPD officer. Better be safe."
"I was doing my job," And tried to defend himself, but was shoved back against the car.
"Miller, you're an idiot. I know you had a crush on her, but the sexy witch doesn't even work there anymore. Haven't you even heard the latest gossip? Apparently somebody was brave enough to go knock her up."
"Lucky bastard, she did have a great rack and some sexy legs for someone that age."
"Hey, watch your tongue! You're talking about a superior officer!" Andy was trying hard to keep a rein on his temper. He felt like beating the shit out of this asshole insulting Sharon, but he knew she would be upset and that was the last thing he wanted.
"What? You're this Flynn guy, aren't you? You're like legend. Darth Raydor. You drew the picture of the witch …"
"Enough!" Andy screamed fighting against the hold the officer had on him. He ignored Gavin's pleas to remain calm, but did take a quick look at his vehicle where Sharon was still sleeping peacefully. Thank God for that. "Look after her," he whispered while the officer was busy trying to restrain him.
"It's disgusting if you ask me. What is she trying to prove by popping a baby at that age? It's dis …" But what Officer Miller had been wanting to say was stopped when Andy finally freed himself from his grasp and whirled around, banging his forehead against the officer's nose and ramming his shoulder into his stomach.
"You asshole. You goddamn asshole! Stop talking like that about her!"
"Diaz, get over here. This guy is cra…" another well placed shove from Andy threw Miller to the ground
"Andy, cool it! You've done enough damage as it is."
"Me? We wouldn't even be here if you hadn't sent me that stupid picture! What, don't look at me like that! All this is because of you!"
"Calm down, do you want to be in prison when your baby is born?" Gavin's voice dropped to a hoarse whisper, "Calm yourself, man, she's going to be freaked out enough as it is."
Freaked out however was not the term they would have used a quarter of an hour later, when a sharp female voice made the four men and a recently arrived Sergeant Elliot turn their heads
"Captain Sharon Raydor, LAPD Major Crimes Division, Sergeant Elliot, what is going on here?"
"Sharon, let me explain," Gavin started but he was silenced by her deadly glare. Good grief, Andy's legs were starting to wobble just from the look on her face. He felt a curious mixture of fear, and shame and the intense to desire to hug her and make sure she was okay. She looked good, her eyes a striking green with barely concealed anger, well rested and standing up straight like that, hands on her hips, her belly poking out in front of her. Captain Raydor at her very finest. He almost wished she was wearing her navy blue trenchcoat.
"Sergeant Elliot, why are you arresting Lieutenant Flynn?"
She was impressive, even with her swollen belly and as the story unfolded she stood there, unmoved, an eyebrow raised at the two officers who were trying to hide looking like dogs with their tails between their legs.
"Well, Elliot, it appears that Lieutenant Flynn was trying to defend my honour. While I don't agree with the means, I think we can make some allowances for the sentiment." Many years ago, when Elliot had been new on her team, he had gotten into an altercation with other officers in a bar who had been making jokes about her. Then, he had been allowed to stay on in FID only because of her intervention, and the way she had spoken up on his behalf. Sergeant Elliot nodded and she could see the ghost of a smile cross his features. "I suggest that you let me deal with Lieutenant Flynn within my division and I have full confidence in your ability to handle these two officers' case within the confines of the law. May I take the liberty to suggest that a stint in traffic in Northridge and a few sensitivity courses would fit them rather well?"
Sergeant Elliot couldn't stop the smirk on his face – he had missed his old Captain and it was so nice to work with her again, even if only briefly. "Certainly, Captain. I shall consider your suggestions."
"Very well then. Since Counsellor Baker will not press charges, I believe you can hand Lieutenant Flynn into my custody now."
Without another word she turned around and signalled for Andy and Gavin to follow her, which they did without questioning.
"Care to enlighten me what made you hold a gun to Gavin's head?" she demanded when they sat down in a small restaurant nearby.
"Sweetheart…"
"Ah! Ah!" her finger shot up and pointed at Andy. "You insisted you defended your Captain's honour earlier on. Your captain's, not your girlfriend's or your fiancée's. So it's your Captain asking you now."
"Sharon, please…"
"It's Captain. Lieutenant Flynn, answer my question. What on earth possessed you to hold Gavin at gunpoint, in a public place, with me asleep in the car? Have you completely lost your mind? God, Andy!"
"Hey, stop shouting at me! Dammit! You want to know what happened, Captain? Fine. Earlier while in the coffeeshop I received a text message sent from your phone. It was only a photo – of you, sleeping in my car and a shadow looming over you. Would you like to see the evidence?"
Gavin chuckled at their display. It was only too obvious that all Andy wanted to do was to hold her and she remained professional and distant. It was too much fun seeing them go through their little dance. A part of him was also curious at what had set Andy off like that. It had only been an innocent joke after all.
Sharon was livid. They had been lucky that it had been Elliot at the scene and that she had woken up in time to clear up the worst of it. And that didn't even take into account that her fiancé and father of her child had come very close to killing her best friend. "Show me the phone," she demanded and took it from Andy making sure their hands didn't touch.
Her face fell as she stared at the picture and her hand dropped to her belly where her child had given a kick, probably in response to the rush of adrenaline that went through her own body. She shot a murderous glare at Gavin, but then she turned to Andy, transforming from the strong self-assured Captain into his lover and the woman carrying his child.
"Oh Andy," her voice broke, "Honey, you thought … You wanted to save me." She leaned into him and let him wrap her in his arms, her own snaking around his neck. "Are you okay?" she whispered into their embrace and when he didn't respond right away, too relieved to finally hold her in his arms again, alive and well, she leaned back and took his head in her hands, looking deeply into his eyes, her own full of worry,
"Honey," her voice was barely audible now, "talk to me, my love. Oh God, Andy!"
Gavin watched the transformation before him with interest and intrigued by how different his long time friend could be. He knew her as the captain, and as the mother, he was starting to get to know her as the woman in love, the girlfriend and fiancée, but this was different. He knew he should have looked away or possibly even gotten up to give them some privacy, but he was mesmerised and fascinated, unable to pull his eyes away from the scene in front of him. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, because at that moment Sharon and Andy were just that, themselves, alone in their little world making sure the other was okay and reconnecting after a scary moment.
"I'm okay. Now that I can hold you I … I'm okay," he stuttered taking a deep breath. "Don't worry about me, sweetheart. What counts is that you're both safe."
"You're here," she rasped, leaning in closer and resting her forehead against his, "I'm always safe when I'm with you, my big strong Lieutenant. We're always safe with Daddy."
Andy leaned in and kissed her, cupping the back of her head with one hand while the other was splayed protectively over her stomach, still shaking a little. "I'm here, my little ballerina, I'm here and I'll look out for you and our little Peach."
It was rare that they talked to each other like that. There had only been a few instances, intimate moments between two people who were still sometimes a little surprised by having found such joy in each other. The events of the past hours had rattled them both to the core and somehow it didn't matter anymore that Gavin was sitting across the table from them.
Sharon smiled, her fingers now raking through his hair and eyes taking in the beloved face: the many lines and creases, familiar from years of looking at them and long nights spent tracing them with her finger and her lips, memorising the texture and taste of his skin, his particular scent. "We should go and check your blood pressure. Do you feel any dizziness? Headache?"
"I'm okay. I've got you and I'm okay. But you … you scared them good, just like you did me back in the day." Andy chuckled.
"Oh, I can still scare you."
A sound somewhere between a strangled cry and a painful moan escaped his throat while he squeezed his eyes shut.
"Oh Andy, not like that! I'm sorry. Come on, let's get us all home. Blood pressure check and some family cuddling time hiding under our favourite blanket."
Andy pulled her even closer for a tender kiss. "I'm sorry I held a gun to your friend's head…"
"You were looking out for me. Andy, you did nothing wrong."
"Well, excuse me!" Gavin had been quiet throughout their exchange but they seemed to be out of their very private moment now – and they were sitting in restaurant after all, even if they were both drinking camomile tea, something he was sure Andy wouldn't have touched a few years ago. His dear friend clearly had her man wrapped around her little finger.
"You! You should be quiet. Your sense of humour is abysmal. Believe me, Gavin, you can be grateful that Andy didn't hurt you and even more grateful that you don't work for me. Believe me, I would..."
"Please, Sharon! Let's keep this all in perspective. I'm sorry I scared you, I really am, but all I did was sent a message to Andy saying that I would look after you while he was away. I called you sleeping beauty. I wasn't aware that carried the death penalty these days - particularly since he gets to call you his little ballerina."
Sharon chose to ignore that last comment and put her hand over Andy's moving it to the place where their baby was kicking. She knew it would calm all three of them and she was starting to feel truly exhausted. "Gavin, there is no message here," she sighed, "just a picture sent from my phone. My phone! What are you, twelve? Dammit, Gavin, you know the threat we're living under. Start acting like a responsible adult for once!"
"Mine ran out of juice and … you just looked too cute sleeping in the car in the middle of the day with your big belly. I thought Andy would like to know you were still well." He lifted his hands in an uncharacteristically tame and helpless gesture. "Sharon, I'm sorry my joke backfired. All I intended to do was to warn Andy that I would be waiting in the car with you."
When she wordlessly held out her hand, he placed her phone in it..
Well, what a surprise to find my best friend asleep at the roadside. I assume you're nearby? Just in case, I'll be keeping sleeping beauty here company until you get back. Gavin.
A message carried a little red exclamation mark with the words 'not delivered' printed below.
/
Andy spotted her across the street leaning against her car in the glow of the setting sun and broke into a trot, pulling her into his arms and swallowing the sound of her surprised squeak with his kisses. He ignored the comments of the men who had come out of the building with him running his hand over her belly instead.
"You wouldn't believe who I ran into today. Well, you probably don't want to know, but it was fun to catch up with a lot of the guys."
"You do realise this was supposed to be a punishment? If you're enjoying this too much, there are plenty more seminars…"
He interrupted her with another kiss and pushed his hands into her hair, bending back her head to get a better angle, "God, I missed you! Believe me, I'm the laughing stock of all the guys, because I managed to get send there by my fiancée. You don't want to hear the jokes about how Captain Raydor settles her domestic disputes. You've got one hell of a reputation, sweetheart, everyone in there is scared of you!"
"I hope that includes you. It took me years to build up that reputation and I would hate for them to think I'm becoming soft. Maybe you should do the advanced anger management course after all?"
Andy silenced her with another passionate kiss bringing his hands to the ticklish spots at her side. He wouldn't push her too hard, not at this stage in her pregnancy, but he loved the sound of her laughter too much to resist.
He had done the course she had sent him on after the incident a few weeks ago at the office, she had forgiven him for holding her best friend at gunpoint and their baby was growing steadily. As far as Andy Flynn was concerned, life was pretty perfect.