Note: "Unconsciously Coupling" is the reverse of the now infamous "Conscious Uncoupling" phrase uttered by Gwyneth Paltrow. In her case it was about choosing divorce, in Sharon and Andy's case it's about accidentally choosing each other.

Setting: Chapters 1-7 take place during the hiatus between season 3 and season 3.5, and Chapters 8 and 9 take place after the season final "Special Master". I will be trying to post a new chapter every couple of days as time allows me to do the final edits.

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Chapter One: Sharing - "The One With The Hat"

"Sharon, whose cap is this?"

Rusty decided to help tidy up the lounge room and had noticed a worn out looking baseball cap caught underneath one of the pillows.

"Hmm?" Sharon asked from the floor as she organised a stack of magazines.

"This baseball cap, did Ricky leave it here when he came to pick up his tickets?"

Sharon pushed herself off the ground and wandered over to inspect the hat Rusty was holding. He turned the cap in his hand and she noticed the familiar Dodgers logo stare back at her. Unconsciously she started to smile. Rusty eyed her curiously and sensing her unintentional smirk she quickly returned her face to a passive, examining stare as she took the hat and looked it over.

"So do you want me to mail it to Ricky? I remember him saying it might be difficult to come back for another visit before Christmas."

"Hmm, no I'll take it," she replied.

"Are you sure? I mean it's no trouble. The post office is on my way to the library anyway, and he's only going to worry if it's missing-"

"Rusty there's no need, I borrowed it and I'll return it."

"Ok then, but you know how particular he can be about his things - the man alphabetises the cereal," Rusty replied, now in the kitchen opening a cupboard so she could witness the offending habit.

Sharon left the cap on the table and walked over to the kitchen to inspect her oldest son's handy work. She turned her head to one side and read over the names of each box and pursed her lips together as her eyes went wide with delight.

"Your son has some serious issues,"

"Oh really? And the other cupboard, the one with the spice rack?"

Rusty furrowed his eyebrows and sighed under his breath as he opened the next cupboard and sheepishly looked at its contents.

"The spice rack, the one place where alphabetic order is not only appropriate but vital, and you've arranged my spices in what order Mr Beck?"

He was trying not to indulge her but he should have known that any attempt to point out someone else's folly in front of Sharon would guarantee exposure of his own. So he tipped his head slightly and offered a slight grin.

"I've ordered your spice rack in a manner which benefits the household,"

"Oh?"

"Spices in the front are spices Rusty likes and can handle. Spices in the back are spices that should not be consumed for reasons of taste and safety."

"I see. I guess you could say we all have our little unique habits don't you think? Something we each do that may be a little peculiar at first glance but is uniquely our own?"

"I suppose, but if you are so willing to indulge us all in our little quirks then you might want to be quick about returning that hat to its rightful owner."

"Oh don't you worry, I'll return it," Sharon began, returning to the table picking up the hat and gently placing it on her head.

"...though it is rather comfortable, and I do think it looks good on me. What do you think Rusty?" She asked, holding her hand on the rim of the cap and another to her hip as she turned around modelling it for him.

"Sure, cute even." He replied, secretly amused at her antics but not willing to let her know.

"Cute? I don't think baseball players are supposed to be cute. No, if anything I look a little flustered in the batting cage," she replied, carefully placing the cap on the hat stand.

"Batting cage? Since when do you even like baseball?," he asked, trying to think of when she had mentioned going to a batting cage.

"I used to take the kids to the batting cages all the time Rusty. Maybe we should go one weekend?"

"Eh, I'll think about it," he replied.

"Well goodnight Rusty, and please don't go into the fridge and do to my vegetables what you did to the spice rack. Despite what you may believe, they are all safe and ready for consumption."

"Ha ha, goodnight Sharon," he watched her wander down the hallway and after taking a peak to see that she was out of sight he quietly opened the refrigerator. His endeavours were cut short when the phone rang and broke his concentration. Moving quickly he picked up the phone on the second ring.

"Raydor residence, Rusty speaking,"

"Oh hey Rusty it's me Lieutenant Flynn. Is Sharon there at all?"

"You just missed her. Is there something I can do for you?" He asked.

"Umm maybe. I was just looking for something and I wasn't sure if I lent it to Sharon or not," Andy replied.

Rusty looked around the room wondering what Sharon could possibly have of Flynn's. Apart from Ricky's hat, and the stack of magazines she had sitting here - which she said she was getting rid of, he couldn't see anything that wasn't hers or his.

"What should I be looking for?" he asked.

He heard Flynn sigh down the phone and take a quick breath. Rusty wasn't sure if he was agitated or unsure of himself.

"It's stupid really. I mean if she has it, then that's fine. I just don't know where it is,"

It was Rusty's turn to sigh, "so what should I be looking for then?"

"A cap, a blue baseball cap," he replied.

"Seriously?"

"What? I like my cap, I've had it for years,"

"Alright, alright describe it to me," Rusty asked walking over to the hat stand to examine the cap Sharon had left there.

"Well it's blue with a white Dodgers logo - you know the baseball team?"

Rusty tapped his fingers against the phone, "I have watched TV before you know? I know who they are."

"Yeah sorry, ok well it's also a little frayed at the rim,"

Rusty examined the cap carefully. Running his fingers across the logo and the worn stitching on the left side, he took a deep breath and rolled his eyes as he placed it back on the stand. It wasn't the only hat on the stand, and when he looked closely he noted it wasn't the only baseball cap on the stand either.

Maybe Sharon was a secret klepto, he thought for a brief moment, then dismissed that idea just as quickly. Whatever was happening it was peculiar, and with nothing else going on at the moment, keeping Lieutenant Flynn on the go seemed like a good way to spend his time.

"Hmm, I can't see anything like that here. You know I can't even think of a time where I've seen her wear a hat," he honestly couldn't, despite the evidence in front of him on the hat stand.

Rusty thought he could hear Flynn smile down the phone. Though he wasn't sure how you could actually hear that sort of thing.

"If she's out in the sun too long the freckles on her nose decide to make an appearance, and she hates it when anyone points it out. I let her wear my hat because she kept forgetting hers, and she didn't want me to tease her again."

"I see," Rusty began to remember a few entires in her calendar from the last month. What did she call them? He seemed to remember some strange listing called 'Maybe Saturdays'. Was she secretly running off to have fun? Sharon? Enjoying the sun? With people? With Flynn?

"Listen if you see it laying around can you let me know? At my age you start to worry about forgetting things,"

"At your age I'm surprised you remember your name," it came out of his mouth before Sharon's voice in his head would have told him no. Though he secretly thought Provenza's voice in his head would say yes.

"Always a comedian hey Rusty?" Andy replied, secretly wishing Rusty had spent more time at the office with Amy than his partner.

"Always, any way don't spend too long looking for it Flynn it's approaching 10pm and I think that's well past your bed time,"

"Goodnight Rusty," he said with a noticeable, yet amused sigh.

"Goodnight Flynn," Rusty hung up the phone and took another look at the cap.

Unique habits; things that are a little peculiar, she'd mentioned. I guess borrowing someone else's cap when you have a collection of your own could be defined as peculiar.

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To Be Continued...

Also a Special Thanks to my super favourite fellow writer and all round awesome person Isolith for her ongoing encouragement :)