Season 4 - Episode 1 - after 'A Rose is a Rose'

June 7, 2015

"So… what do you need me for?"

She was surprised at the question, thought for a moment.

"Close the door," She met his eyes, "Let's talk."

She waited for him to sit.

"First off, I pulled Rusty's undercover detail."

He winced, knowing that it was a decision she didn't like. "You okay?"

"No," she let out a laugh. "Not at all."

"So why did you?"

"Because I think he's right … Cooper's right … I can't … I can't have a team on him 24/7."

"Well, you could," he grinned.

"I wish that I could."

"I understand."

"I'm scared, Andy."

"I know. There's nothing that I can say to help with that. I'm worried, too, but I guess … we have to trust that Rusty is ready and able to watch his own back. He wants to …"

"He's good at it," she showed him the picture of the undercover agent Rusty caught with a selfie. "One of Cooper's guys …"

Andy smiled. "He's obviously being careful, Sharon, watching out … I know that Stroh will always be in the back of my mind … of course he is in Rusty's, and yours … all we can do is be on the alert and wait, but … live our lives …"

"Andy…" she met his eyes and leaned forward, "You know you're my best friend."

His grin grew a bit, "... and you are mine."

"Good, and I need you to continue to be that."

He nodded.

"After work, like we discussed …" she thought of that night on her roof after the Nutcracker … she couldn't give him more … yet … and couldn't have him tell her how he felt. She hadn't been ready and she wasn't now, but she felt like she was getting there. "After work, I'm Sharon, you're Andy, and we're … us. I can't," she slowed, "Andy, I need you the way that you are, after work … a friend that I dump all of my problems on …"

"Vice versa," he smiled, knowing that he had more problems that she helped him with than the other way around.

"... and I'm so grateful to you for that, you know that?"

He nodded. "Same here, but … at work …" he wanted to get back to his original question. He wanted to have her trust again, fully at work. He knew that she was disappointed in the way he was treating Julio. "What do you need me for?"

"At work, I need you to do exactly as you have. Andy, you're an amazing detective, my god … but today … I need you to encourage Julio … not be wary of him. Andy, do you trust him with your life?"

"Yes." Andy didn't hesitate.

"Good." She was so relieved that it was a quick answer. "Me, too."

She leaned back in her chair and just watched him.

"I just … I have to trust … that he can manage his anger, and he showed me that today …"

"For five months, you've been working with Robby, and he's excellent, but he's not Major Crimes, Andy. Julio was always going to come back and I assumed," she gave him a look, "that he would be welcomed back."

Andy just nodded.

"Look, you don't have to like my decisions-"

"I'm fine with …"

"It doesn't matter, Andy. I don't care if you are 'fine' with what I decide. I don't care if you hate the decisions that I make."

He nodded and looked down.

"I do care if you can't trust your team."

"I can. I do."

"Good, then what I need from you is to encourage him. Make sure that he's back, fully, on our team. Maybe … apolog-"

"I'm not apologizing!"

"Andy-"

"No. I'm not …" his anger growing, "... unless it's an order?"

She breathed in. She didn't want him to apologize if he didn't mean it. Stubborn.

"No, Lieutenant," she gave him a look. "It's not an order, just a suggestion … from your best friend." She smiled. "He's had five full months off, Andy, can you imagine that?"

"I would be miserable."

"Me, too."

"We would have more time for dinner out, though …" He smirked.

She breathed in, but only smiled in response.

"Speaking of ... dinner tomorrow?"

"Probably not, but maybe."

"Tonight?"

She thought for a second. "Okay." He smiled, but she wasn't done. "If you apologize to Julio."

His smile disappeared. "You're holding our dinners hostage …"

She giggled softly, "No, Andy, I was kidding. You are the most stubborn man…"

"More than your right-hand Lieutenant?" He nodded out to Provenza's desk.

"Hmmmm, you are my right-hand Lieutenant, Andy." She stood and walked around her desk. "Now, where are we going to dinner?"

Season 3 - Episode 1 - after 'Flight Risk'

June 8, 2014

She made it into the Murder Room much later than she thought. She'd just been in the restroom with Cynthia Logan, whom she'd spent the entire day fighting … who's two young children were murdered, and she'd kept it from her … who didn't deserve this … no mother did, no child did, Sharon cried more tonight than she had in quite a while. She'd had no sympathy for this woman for part of the day … thinking that she'd been involved or at least hiding something, which she had been … but it hadn't really mattered in the end. What's done was done and it was just a horrendous day.

Provenza came in a while ago to check on them. She sent him home. She told him to send Lieutenant Flynn and the rest of the team home as well, but she knew Andy would stay. Maybe not, but … yeah, he said that he'd wait. He wouldn't leave until she specifically told him to go.

He wasn't here though … the Murder Room was empty, save for Rusty, who was waiting for her over by Buzz's desk, on his laptop with earbuds in. She smiled to him and held up a finger, knowing she'd be ready to go as soon as Mrs. Logan left with her mother and sister.

Sharon said her goodbyes to them and watched them walk out, turning toward her office, blinds all still shut tight. She needed some time to regroup.

She shut the door and almost immediately, a knock came from the other door in her office.

She couldn't even have a second.

Opening it, she was surprised to see Andy, though she expected it, so … the surprise was really just … relief? He shut the door and turned to her. She wrapped her arms around him instantly, before he even fully turned all the way around, and she breathed in the warm protective scent of him.

His arms came around her and he did what he did best, held her close, tight, and let her breathe … let her have silence and think, but still have someone there for support. He'd come to adore these moments, even the heartbreaking ones. If he could give her some comfort, some moment of peace, he'd done his job. He'd lost count of how many hugs they'd shared now, but most were quick, a goodbye after dinner, or a congratulatory hug here or there, but these … when she just needed to be held, or when he did … were few and far between, so he savored every moment.

She didn't want this moment to end. She didn't want to think about what to do next. Today had been hard. For them all. When Andy told her that he'd wait, in case she needed him, her heart started racing as her eyes met his. She wanted to tell him that she'd always need him. She almost said the words.

"Andy," she now murmured against his shoulder.

"Hmmm?"

"Thank you," she whispered and continued crying.

He continued to hold her, swaying gently, and ran his hands down her back. "Always."

If he hadn't used that word, she may have not said it.

She pulled back and her wet eyes met his. "I will always need this. Thank you, Andy … so very much," she fell back into his warmth and snuggled in for a while.

Season 6 :)

July 6, 2017

"So I've watched these two, for years …" Buzz started, trying to not make it sound creepy, "All of us have. We made bets, joked around, rolled our eyes, and waited … a long time … for them to see what we saw."

Sharon blushed and shook her head, holding Andy's hand tightly in her lap. She was overwhelmed, but she was supposed to be on her wedding day, right? Embarrassed at the speeches, but she didn't know what was coming.

Buzz continued. "I remember the day of the Dodger game that I made us miss …"

"Boooo-" Provenza sounded and Andy joined in. Sharon took Andy's chin in her hand and kissed him so he'd shut up.

"Anyway, back in the Murder Room, Lieutenant Flynn was giving up and saying how he should give the tickets that he had to someone else, and Captain Raydor told him not to, that we may still could go. Well, I was watching the Lieutenant and, well, his smile to her as she walked away was just, so easy to read. He was so very much in love. Though it would have been weird, I really wish I had the video camera on, because unfortunately, she didn't see it."

She didn't see a lot. She met Andy's eyes and he smiled over to her brightly. He was so handsome.

"I could easily tell that he was in love with her and it was just … very sweet. It's been fun seeing you two find each other, realize that you were always meant to be more than just friends."

"Very good friends," Nicole yelled out.

Andy reddenned. Sharon hid her face against his shoulder.

"So," Buzz was wrapping up, "I thought that tonight, when we think of it, when we take a break from drinking and dancing, each of us could share a story or two, when we noticed them, since we all knew before they did … or if you can't think of a specific time, just share something embarrassing about the Lieutenant." He grinned and met Sharon's gaze. She mouthed the words 'thank you'.

"To the Commander and the Lieutenant, Sharon and Andy … Congratulations and oh my goodness, it's about time!"

Some clapped, some let out whoops and hoots and whistles … Sharon and Andy just stood to hug Buzz as he walked behind their table, moving to his seat.

"All right, all right," Provenza had the microphone.

Emily jumped up quickly and took it from him, "Sorry, Lieutenant, I'm next."

He growled lightly and sat next to Patrice. He wanted to get this over with. What nonsense…

"My Mom," Emily sighed. "Seriously, for someone so damned smart and quick and laser focused, you sure did not see Andy coming at all, and how embarrassing because it looks like we all did. Way before you."

Sharon just gave up trying to not turn red. At least her husband was next to her, just as embarrassed.

"When I was ten, my parents separated, but nothing really changed. He was never around and Mom was always perfect, or she tried to seem that way. Of course she wasn't, though I thought she was," Emily paused for a moment and focused on her Mom, "Still do. Always will. I wish," she nearly started tearing up, "I wish that Andy had been around then. Not for her, so much, but selfishly, for me. Andy, um," she cleared her throat and breathed in.

He thought she looked so much like her mother, then. "Andy, you're my Dad. You didn't ask for an extra daughter five years ago when you were first threatened by me," she grinned wickedly toward him, the likeness to her mom was almost surreal.

Sharon moved her gaze from Emily to him. She'd completely forgotten … handing Andy the phone all of those years ago. She never was told what was said. Doubted she ever would be …

"You've lived up to and have outdone every expectation and hope that I had for you. I asked you to have her back, protect her, and you did so much more than that, Andy … you had mine, too … and Ricky's and Rusty's and just, you showed me what a man should be like … showed me what a father should be like." She had to stop and breathe for a moment. "Your kids are so lucky," she couldn't speak for a moment. He wanted to go hug her now. Sharon squeezed his hand tighter.

"You always told me the truth and trusted that I could handle it. You always gave the exact advice I needed and knew when to let me figure it out on my own. I do love my own Dad, but Andy, you have never … disappointed me and … I've never been able to say that about anyone, except her," she nodded to her mother.

"Mom, Mommmyyyy," she smiled, "you deserve every bit of the happiness that you're experiencing right now and I can say, you've never seemed happier. I've known you for thirty plus years,"she giggled, "and besides, I'm sure, when I was a baby and it was just me and you … besides then, I'm sure, you've never smiled as much as you do now."

Ricky let out a fake cough, barely covering up the words, "Suck up! Ahemmm."

Emily held the microphone away from her mouth and gave her brother the evil eye. "Shut it, tiny." He'd always been freakishly tall compared to her.

"Anyway, Mom, I'm so very grateful that you transferred from FID …"

"Boooo…" just Provenza this time. Emily shot him a look and he shut up real quick.

Andy loved that moment.

"... to Major Crimes. When you transferred, I hated it, but that didn't last too long. And not just because of Andy. Amy, Julio, Lieutenant Tao, Buzz, and yes, Pro…ven…zaaaa … thank you so much for having her back. Watching out for her, and Rusty," she met her younger brother's eyes, "Oh, Rusty … the only brother I actually wanted when I found out about you..."

"Booooo-" Ricky sounded. Provenza joined in.

"Stop it," she laughed. "Anyway, just, Mom, we all love you and we're so happy that you finally woke up to see that one," she nodded to her new stepdad, "for who he really was. A love-sick idiot-"

"Hear hear!" Provenza.

"... who," she continued, ignoring the 84 year old toddler , "was too kind to push you. He was more than patient, which I don't believe he was at all before he met you … Andy, I can't tell you how thankful I am for you and how lucky … ugh, before I start bawling like a baby, I'll pass the microphone to the next person," tears were flowing. "Congratulations you two, it's finally happened and you are finally my Dad legally and I love you two and … just … congrats. Ugh," she wiped her eyes furiously and sat down.

Sharon gestured for her to come over, but she was too emotional.

Andy stood and went to her table, then, pulling her up into a big hug.

"Stupid," Emily mumbled.

He laughed, though he had tears, "I love you, kiddo."

She shook her head against him and hoped he wouldn't let go anytime soon. He looked over to his wife and smiled, both just letting whatever tears formed, fall.

"Alright, alright," Provenza interrupted, took the microphone, and let out a cough. "Okay, so …"

"Oh, no," Brenda Leigh Johnson yelled as she stood, "My turn."