Chapter Six

Stupid Girl

Stupid girl

Jennifer Nettles

How could you think

That you could take those wings

And fly so close to the sun

Do you like to fall for fun

Oh, stupid girl

How dare you to try

To bring your dark to the light

Live your life undivided

Take your unhappy and hide it

You got to hold yourself back

Put yourself last, never first

Always make 'em laugh

Say you're sorry

Never make it worse

Take a deep breath

Give 'em what

They want and smile

All my life

I've tried to do what's right

But I'm a leaver

Who can't leave well enough alone

I'm a seeker, an unholy rolling stone

And I might be stupid

But that stupid girl ain't wrong

Stupid girl

What else could you want

How could you ask for something more

With all the gifts you were given

Ain't it enough to just be living

You got to hold yourself back

Put yourself last, never first

Always make 'em laugh

Say you're sorry

Never make it worse

Take a deep breath

Give 'em what

They want and smile

Oh, all my life

I've tried to do what's right

But I'm a leaver

Who can't leave well enough alone

I'm a seeker, an unholy rolling stone

And I might be stupid

But that stupid girl ain't wrong

"You want to go to Rudy's and watch the game?" Sharon asked Andy as he was waiting for her to pack up her briefcase.

"No, it's going to be full of obnoxious Yankees and Giants fans. I mean could two worse teams have made it to the World Series?" He responded still biter that the Dodgers had lost to the Giants in the National League Championship Series.

She smiled and walked over to where he was standing, "How about we go home and cook and find last year's game seven on YouTube." She suggested with a smile.

Andy cast a glance back to make sure the room behind him was empty as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, "Will you put your jersey on?"

Sharon slid a hand up his chest and around his neck and leaned in closer almost touching his lips with hers, "Rusty's gone for the weekend." She whispered smiling as she felt his lips cover hers, without even realizing it she parted her lips welcoming him to her. They were usually extra cautious at work but it was after seven on a Friday night and the place was deserted. They had stayed late so Sharon could finish her some reports and not have to worry about them over the weekend.

"Ahhhmmm." A voice came from behind them and the couple split instantly. Sharon inwardly groaned as she saw Chief Winnie Davis standing behind Andy.

"Chief Davis, how can we help you?" Sharon asked trying to recover her always professional demeanor while fighting turning red.

"Yes, Captain Raydor I wanted to remind you I need all of your evaluations submitted by close of business Monday. I hope that won't interrupt any weekend plans you might have." She said dryly casting a glance in Andy's direction.

"Oh, if you had checked your email before coming down here at 7:30 on a Friday night you would have seen that I already submitted them. Now have a good weekend Chief Davis." Sharon replied pushing past both Chief Davis and Andy.

"Good Night Chief." Andy said intent on walking out with his girlfriend.

"Captain Raydor, I hope that you remembered to have someone else preform Lieutenant Flynn's evaluation?" Chief Davis said pointedly.

Sharon turned on her heels and Andy felt himself shudder slightly at the look on her face and what was coming.

"Yes Chief, Lieutenant Provenza completed Andy's evaluation as well as IAB looked over all of his case work as a secondary measure. You have made your feelings on our relationship very clear but we have followed all department regulations and until those change you are just going to have to make peace with it. Now goodnight Chief." Sharon responded in her calmest yet also most intimidating voice.

Sharon had taken about five steps with Andy following her when Chief Davis spoke again, "Oh no Captain, I'm not the only one who disapproves of a captain sleeping with a subordinate officer. But don't you worry about that for now, you and your lieutenant have a fun weekend." Chief Davis retorted pushing her way past them her heels clicking against the tile floor.

ShandyShandyShandyShandy

Sharon stewed the entire drive back to the condo, "What do you think she meant." She asked not for the first time as they entered the condo, taking off their shoes and putting away their guns.

Andy pulled her to himself, "Sharon, Sweetheart, please I am begging you do not let that woman get to you. It's Friday night, Rusty is gone for the weekend and I do not want to hear the name Winnie Davis again." He begged placing a kiss on her lips.

Sharon sighed, "You're right."

Andy smiled and kissed her again, "I love it when you say that. Now I tell you what I am going to go to the kitchen and start making the grilled veggie sandwiches just like they do at Rudy's. You are going to go take a bath and put that Dodgers jersey on." He ordered

'Should I put pants on with that jersey?" Sharon asked with a smile.

Andy kissed her again, "I'm pretty sure you know my opinion on that matter."

Sharon laughed, kissed him again and headed to their bathroom to do as he instructed. She lowered herself into the bubble bath doing her best to let the worries of the week fade away. It was hard to get Winnie Davis's words out of her head. Finally she pulled herself from the tub dried herself off and rummaged through her drawer until she found the jersey Andy had bought her summer before last. She buttoned it and glanced at the leggings next to it but smiled and left them.

She stopped in the doorway of the kitchen and watched the man she loved. He had changed into a pair of sweatpants and was in old Dodgers shirt himself. He was one of the best dressers she knew but she liked him like that barefoot, sweatpants, making them dinner in her kitchen.

"Can I help?" She asked and he turned almost dropping the plates of sandwiches he was holding at the sight of her in her jersey bare legs reaching the floor beneath.

"Damn you're beautiful." He said.

Sharon smiled, "I'm also starving." She told him taking one of the plates he was holding and walking towards the couch.

They ate their dinner and watched the year old baseball game laughing as they remembered that night. Somewhere around the fifth inning Andy said, "It was about this point that I decided that I was going to kiss you that night."

Sharon laughed, "You did no such thing. I kissed you first and it wasn't planned."

"You might have gotten to it first but I had already decided that I could not go one more night without kissing you. If you remember you might have started it but I definitely continued it." He smiled pull her closer to himself.

"Oh I remember." She said closing her eyes in anticipation of the kisses that she knew were coming smiling when she felt his fingers reach for the buttons of her jersey at the same moment his lips met hers.

SHandyShandyShandyShandyShandy

"So we're really doing this?" Andy asked as they sat in front of a house with a for sale sign in the yard on Sunday morning.

Sharon glanced down at the ring that Andy had slid onto her left hand late Friday night and leaned across the front seat and kissed him. "If we are going to do this…" she said looking back at the ring, "Then I think this makes sense." She said nodding towards the house.

Andy smiled, "Then let's go." He said noticing the agent was waiting for them. They walked hand in hand up the drive way.

"Mr and Mrs. Flynn?' The agent asked them.

"Actually…" Andy started to explain but Sharon interrupted him.

"Soon to be." Sharon answered leaning her head against him.

"Well congratulations, and let's get started, I have four houses to show you today." She told them showing them through the front door of the first one.

Several hours later they were entering the fourth house of the day and many of the good feelings of the morning were starting to wear off as they grew tired.

"Let's just see this last one then we can go home." Sharon prodded Andy to the front door.

Andy sighed, "Will you put the jersey back on?" He whined slightly.

Sharon laughed, "I can do that."

They walked through the front door and Sharon immediately headed towards the kitchen and living area. Andy could not help but feel that he had seen this house before, he worried momentarily that he had visited it as a murder scene but he didn't think that was it. He found himself drawn to the large French doors along the back of the house. He stepped out and found himself standing by the pool and the feeling grew stronger. He stood there trying to place it when he heard a voice behind him.

"Andy Honey…" Sharon called and he felt his heart skip a beat. He knew exactly where he had seen this house before, all those years earlier in one night in a dream.

"Andy Honey, are you all right? We can go if you want." Sharon said softly coming up beside him.

Andy turned and took his hand, "This our house Sharon." He said with tears forming in his eyes.

"Do you want to see the rest?" Sharon asked him confused.

He shook his head, "I don't need to, this is our house. I mean if you like it." He quickly added.

Sharon smiled and kissed him, "It's perfect, I love it."

ShandyShandyShandyShandyShandy

Monday morning there was a call to a crime scene before they had left the condo. They had just finished getting ready and were heading out the door.

"You coming to the scene or going to the office?" Andy asked her.

"I think I'll go ahead into the office and try to get ahead on things." Sharon answered.

Andy nodded, "I'll see you later. I love you Sharon." He said glancing down at her hand then smiling back up at her before kissing her.

"Get to your scene Lieutenant." She said with a fake reprimand before adding, "I love you too."

Sharon had been at her desk for an hour when she heard a knock on her office door. She looked up and inwardly groaned when she saw Winnie Davis standing there. She motioned for her to enter.

"Chief Davis, how can I help you this morning?" She asked not offering her a seat.

"Oh I just wanted to drop this off for you Captain." She said handing her what appeared to be a memo.

Sharon quickly scanned it her mouth feeling dry and her heart racing as she read. She stared back at Chief Davis in wordless disbelief.

A calculating smile crossed the Chief's face, "It's effective end of the month, that will give us time to find your replacement and decide which division you will be well suited for." She paused for a moment and looked back at Sharon, "Nice ring by the way, congratulations." She said letting the door slam behind her.

ShandyShandyShandyShandyShandy

"Sharon, would you please tell me what's wrong?' Andy asked when they finally reached the condo that night. "You have been off all day."

Sharon turned to look at him a mixture of hurt and anger filling her eyes, "Chief Davis came to see me this morning."

"Oh God, what did she want?" He asked.

"She wanted to give me this." She told him handing him the memo.

He read it the same horrified expression crossing his face upon learning that Sharon was being relived of her duty in charge of Major Crimes, that LAPD now forbade commanding officers to have personal relationships with subordinate officers.

"She can't do this Sharon, we'll fight it." Andy protested.

"It's done Andy, the decision has been made." She said tears beginning to fill her eyes.

"Sharon she's not going to take this away from you. Any other department would be a demotion and any chance you have at becoming Commander." Andy continued.

"Don't you get it Andy, there is not future for me with the LAPD, I will never be promoted now." She explained. "God how could I have been so stupid?"

"Sharon we have done nothing wrong. We followed every ruled they had, it's not our fault they changed the rules." Andy argued.

"I should have known better. I should have known this would cost me too much." Sharon said turning her back to him. "So stupid." She said again.

"Sharon, you don't mean that." Andy said putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Andy you don't understand I have spent my entire life doing the right thing following the rules, doing what was expected. The two times I followed my heart it has cost me." She said tears now running down her face, "I should have left good enough alone."

Andy stepped back, "What are you saying Sharon?"

"I'm saying that letting myself fall in love with you might have just cost me everything." She said.

"Sharon, it might have cost you your position and it's not right and we will fight it or I will retire, but do you really think loving me has cost you everything? Because at the end of the day as long as I have you I have everything that I need. What about you? Can you say that?" Andy asked his own tears beginning to form.

"I don't know Andy, I just don't know." She said and walked to their bedroom leaving him standing alone in the living room where she had agreed to marry him three days earlier.

TBC