amop-series #21#
/SPEED BUMP/
Andrew Flynn breathed a sigh of relief when he opened the roof top door and found Sharon Raydor standing at the railing, a cup of coffee in one hand and a pensive expression as she looked out over the city.
“I’ve looked everywhere for you,” Andy said as he approached her, “Thank heavens that little Elliot weasel is easy to intimidate or otherwise I would have ended up looking real smooth, trying to locate you by our security cameras.”
“I came here to avoid people,” Sharon responded with a pointed stare in his direction. Andy sighed, he had been a part of ‘people’ for a couple of weeks now and it was really starting to not only annoy him but worry him a little bit as well. Sharon looked out over the city again, her voice dry when she continued, “For the record, lieutenant, the next time I catch you trying to intimidate any of my detectives again I’m sending you off to a seminar or two.”
Andy ignored her blatant dismissal and instead he lined up next to her, standing at the railing looking out over the city with her. He looked at her in profile, trying to discern what went on behind her glasses today.
“For the record,” he replied, “you should answer your phone when I call instead of hiding out on the fucking roof. Would it kill you to even goddamn text back - a simple ’fuck off’ would suffice you know.”
Sharon chuckled, “You do not understand a simple ‘fuck off’ even in text form I’m afraid.”
Andy rolled his eyes, “Oh great, it’s insult your friend day today, huh.” He shook his head in disbelief, “If I didn’t know better I would wager someone pissed on your breakfast but knowing you I’m sure you start the day by pissing on other people’s food.”
“Oh, I do so enjoy you when you are all sour and sarcastic,” Sharon smiled.
Andy smiled back, “Another thing for the record if you will.”
Sharon hummed, her eyes on him curiously.
“I’ve given you ample time for your personal ‘space’ you so nicely forced upon yourself a fortnight ago.” Andy groused good-naturedly, “So you can’t keep avoiding me forever, Captain. Eventually you are gonna have to simply let go and join me for gossip at the cafeteria.”
She hummed again, a softer key, “Honey, I didn’t say you should avoid me for weeks. I merely expressed a need to be myself, with a little space to sort out my head.”
“So, your head’s all sorted out now? You ready to interact with human beings again?”
She shook her head, a small rueful smile on her lips that she tried to contain.
“You never share a lot about yourself, Sharon,” Andy told her earnestly because he always got the news about her life after the fact.
“I don’t need to share everything with you,” she said and if her voice hadn’t been soft it would have felt condescending. It didn’t however; even her eyes were crinkled and soft in their color as she regarded him.
Andy smiled to himself and then he sneaked the coffee cup out of her hand and took a sip. Sharon gave him a strange look with an arched eyebrow, her lips curving upwards. “You feel entitled to my coffee?”
“I do. As a matter of fact I feel entitled to a lot of things when it concerns you. Friends share coffee at the least - especially since you do not feel inclined to share anything else with me.”
She smiled a soft and small smile but it was there, “I will remember this the next time I happen upon you with coffee in your hands.”
“Please do - I will gladly share,” he smiled back at her in the same fashion, taking another sip before he gave the cup back to her.
Her look was pensive again, eyes on the horizon and tall buildings, “I don’t tell you everything about my life, Andy, but you know the most important facts.”
“Yeah - I have to disagree there,” Andy mock-grumbled.
She shook her head and even in profile he could discern the wide smile on her face, “Oh, just shush it.” the smile disappeared momentarily when she continued, “You probably won’t understand it but I need for you not to be concerned about Jack - I simple need to pretend you don’t even know who Jack is. I’ll only become crazy if I mix too much of the past into the present.”
“I get that,” he told her and he did, “but, honey, I’ve known Jack as long as I have known you. I got all the horrid tales from every meeting I attended and he was there. There’s not much I don’t know. ”
She sighed, “I know. I just don’t want to discuss Jack with you. I do not wish to talk about that part of my life, frankly.”
Andy shrugged, “Sometimes you have to talk about the things in your life that’s shit, Sharon.”
“He’s not in my life, Andy - he’s not an active part of my life,” her voice sounded strained.
“I know, I know,” he quickly said, his voice soft and his shoulder against hers, “Don’t worry about it - let’s just forget it, huh.”
Sharon hummed in agreement.
They stared out into the air, standing shoulder to shoulder.
“I’m selling my house,” she said out of the blue suddenly, her eyes briefly on the coffee cup in her hands.
Andy looked at her in surprise, his eyes drawn to her slender fingers around the cup and the way they tapped against the Styrofoam in some sort of little nervous tick.
“That’s a good thing, right?” he ventured, almost positive it could only be a good thing indeed.
“It is,” she confirmed, another smile on her lips that was wide.
“Well, I’m happy for you, ”Andy bumped his shoulder against hers again, catching her looking at him and he gave a smile in return. Sharon continued to stare at him, her lips twitching.
“What?” he said, smiling.
“You can’t send flowers with harassing cards to former criminals out on parole.”
Andy furrowed his brow into annoyance but instead of getting angry he played confused, “What do you mean?”
Her smile was a strange creature, both soft and yet admonishing in the way it curled. “I know you, Andy, and more importantly I know the Mayhan case struck a nerve with you years back. It’s not a reprimand - I’m not even filing it anywhere. I simply want you to reconsider sending threatening cards to criminals in the future.”
Andy sighed, “The scumbag deserved it.”
“You are a police officer, it’s required of you to behave with a conduct becoming of your rank.” The words sounded formal in that way only Sharon could manage to make anything sound so formal you thought you were back in the principal’s office being lectured about disrupting class.
Andy was used to it however and he merely smiled at her, “I don’t think they taught that class when I was at the academy.”
Sharon laughed, “We were there at roughly the same time, Mister.”
“I wish I remembered you from back then,” Andy said, “I’m sure you were quite the gorgeous little tantrum ball back then.”
She hit his shoulder softly, “Stop changing the subject.”
Andy shrugged, “I’ll make sure to cover my tracks better the next time I send flowers to a homicidal maniac.”
Sharon sighed, “You should have chosen a career in law if you want to be the one to hold up the weighing scales of justice. You are not a courtroom, Andy. ”
Andy gave her a soft glare, “You sound just like the chief.”
She smiled in return, “Oh, I’ll look forward to meeting her one day.”
Andy grinned to himself; he was sure that would be one big disaster but he saw no need in telling Sharon that.
Sharon took a long sip of her coffee and when she was done she put the cup into his hands with an encouraging smile. Andy took the proffered coffee, sipping from the rim where there wasn’t an imprint of lipstick, enjoying the still warm liquid.
“So,” Andy started in between two coffee slurps, “Where are you gonna live? - you are not moving away from LA? You are not retiring or anything, are you?”
She smiled, “Don’t worry honey; I’m just moving into something smaller. And what do you mean retiring? Are you calling me old?” she stopped briefly, her eyebrow raised at him, “May I point out that you are not only older than me but have a lot more grey hair as well.
“Yeah, that’s because I don’t color my hair - I’m not that vain.”
She laughed.
Andy chuckled and bumped his shoulder into hers again, his own smile warm as well, “You let me know when you find a place and need to move. I’ll help move boxes and furniture and all that other jazz.”
This time her smile was radiant, “You are a wonderful friend at times.”
Andy laughed, “As long as I stay quiet and don’t threaten people you mean.”
“Yes. When you are polite and nice, quiet and helpful that’s when I really like you.”
“So, you only like me every other full moon.”
She nodded, trying to keep a serious face, her lips compressed into a half smile.
Andy fake-sighed, “Well, I thought you liked me all worked up, yelling left and right.”
“Yes, caveman lieutenant is my favorite version of you,” she replied sardonically.
Andy grinned, “I know.”
They smiled at each other for a moment and then looked out over the city again.
…
=)
Andrew Flynn breathed a sigh of relief when he opened the roof top door and found Sharon Raydor standing at the railing, a cup of coffee in one hand and a pensive expression as she looked out over the city.
“I’ve looked everywhere for you,” Andy said as he approached her, “Thank heavens that little Elliot weasel is easy to intimidate or otherwise I would have ended up looking real smooth, trying to locate you by our security cameras.”
“I came here to avoid people,” Sharon responded with a pointed stare in his direction. Andy sighed, he had been a part of ‘people’ for a couple of weeks now and it was really starting to not only annoy him but worry him a little bit as well. Sharon looked out over the city again, her voice dry when she continued, “For the record, lieutenant, the next time I catch you trying to intimidate any of my detectives again I’m sending you off to a seminar or two.”
Andy ignored her blatant dismissal and instead he lined up next to her, standing at the railing looking out over the city with her. He looked at her in profile, trying to discern what went on behind her glasses today.
“For the record,” he replied, “you should answer your phone when I call instead of hiding out on the fucking roof. Would it kill you to even goddamn text back - a simple ’fuck off’ would suffice you know.”
Sharon chuckled, “You do not understand a simple ‘fuck off’ even in text form I’m afraid.”
Andy rolled his eyes, “Oh great, it’s insult your friend day today, huh.” He shook his head in disbelief, “If I didn’t know better I would wager someone pissed on your breakfast but knowing you I’m sure you start the day by pissing on other people’s food.”
“Oh, I do so enjoy you when you are all sour and sarcastic,” Sharon smiled.
Andy smiled back, “Another thing for the record if you will.”
Sharon hummed, her eyes on him curiously.
“I’ve given you ample time for your personal ‘space’ you so nicely forced upon yourself a fortnight ago.” Andy groused good-naturedly, “So you can’t keep avoiding me forever, Captain. Eventually you are gonna have to simply let go and join me for gossip at the cafeteria.”
She hummed again, a softer key, “Honey, I didn’t say you should avoid me for weeks. I merely expressed a need to be myself, with a little space to sort out my head.”
“So, your head’s all sorted out now? You ready to interact with human beings again?”
She shook her head, a small rueful smile on her lips that she tried to contain.
“You never share a lot about yourself, Sharon,” Andy told her earnestly because he always got the news about her life after the fact.
“I don’t need to share everything with you,” she said and if her voice hadn’t been soft it would have felt condescending. It didn’t however; even her eyes were crinkled and soft in their color as she regarded him.
Andy smiled to himself and then he sneaked the coffee cup out of her hand and took a sip. Sharon gave him a strange look with an arched eyebrow, her lips curving upwards. “You feel entitled to my coffee?”
“I do. As a matter of fact I feel entitled to a lot of things when it concerns you. Friends share coffee at the least - especially since you do not feel inclined to share anything else with me.”
She smiled a soft and small smile but it was there, “I will remember this the next time I happen upon you with coffee in your hands.”
“Please do - I will gladly share,” he smiled back at her in the same fashion, taking another sip before he gave the cup back to her.
Her look was pensive again, eyes on the horizon and tall buildings, “I don’t tell you everything about my life, Andy, but you know the most important facts.”
“Yeah - I have to disagree there,” Andy mock-grumbled.
She shook her head and even in profile he could discern the wide smile on her face, “Oh, just shush it.” the smile disappeared momentarily when she continued, “You probably won’t understand it but I need for you not to be concerned about Jack - I simple need to pretend you don’t even know who Jack is. I’ll only become crazy if I mix too much of the past into the present.”
“I get that,” he told her and he did, “but, honey, I’ve known Jack as long as I have known you. I got all the horrid tales from every meeting I attended and he was there. There’s not much I don’t know. ”
She sighed, “I know. I just don’t want to discuss Jack with you. I do not wish to talk about that part of my life, frankly.”
Andy shrugged, “Sometimes you have to talk about the things in your life that’s shit, Sharon.”
“He’s not in my life, Andy - he’s not an active part of my life,” her voice sounded strained.
“I know, I know,” he quickly said, his voice soft and his shoulder against hers, “Don’t worry about it - let’s just forget it, huh.”
Sharon hummed in agreement.
They stared out into the air, standing shoulder to shoulder.
“I’m selling my house,” she said out of the blue suddenly, her eyes briefly on the coffee cup in her hands.
Andy looked at her in surprise, his eyes drawn to her slender fingers around the cup and the way they tapped against the Styrofoam in some sort of little nervous tick.
“That’s a good thing, right?” he ventured, almost positive it could only be a good thing indeed.
“It is,” she confirmed, another smile on her lips that was wide.
“Well, I’m happy for you, ”Andy bumped his shoulder against hers again, catching her looking at him and he gave a smile in return. Sharon continued to stare at him, her lips twitching.
“What?” he said, smiling.
“You can’t send flowers with harassing cards to former criminals out on parole.”
Andy furrowed his brow into annoyance but instead of getting angry he played confused, “What do you mean?”
Her smile was a strange creature, both soft and yet admonishing in the way it curled. “I know you, Andy, and more importantly I know the Mayhan case struck a nerve with you years back. It’s not a reprimand - I’m not even filing it anywhere. I simply want you to reconsider sending threatening cards to criminals in the future.”
Andy sighed, “The scumbag deserved it.”
“You are a police officer, it’s required of you to behave with a conduct becoming of your rank.” The words sounded formal in that way only Sharon could manage to make anything sound so formal you thought you were back in the principal’s office being lectured about disrupting class.
Andy was used to it however and he merely smiled at her, “I don’t think they taught that class when I was at the academy.”
Sharon laughed, “We were there at roughly the same time, Mister.”
“I wish I remembered you from back then,” Andy said, “I’m sure you were quite the gorgeous little tantrum ball back then.”
She hit his shoulder softly, “Stop changing the subject.”
Andy shrugged, “I’ll make sure to cover my tracks better the next time I send flowers to a homicidal maniac.”
Sharon sighed, “You should have chosen a career in law if you want to be the one to hold up the weighing scales of justice. You are not a courtroom, Andy. ”
Andy gave her a soft glare, “You sound just like the chief.”
She smiled in return, “Oh, I’ll look forward to meeting her one day.”
Andy grinned to himself; he was sure that would be one big disaster but he saw no need in telling Sharon that.
Sharon took a long sip of her coffee and when she was done she put the cup into his hands with an encouraging smile. Andy took the proffered coffee, sipping from the rim where there wasn’t an imprint of lipstick, enjoying the still warm liquid.
“So,” Andy started in between two coffee slurps, “Where are you gonna live? - you are not moving away from LA? You are not retiring or anything, are you?”
She smiled, “Don’t worry honey; I’m just moving into something smaller. And what do you mean retiring? Are you calling me old?” she stopped briefly, her eyebrow raised at him, “May I point out that you are not only older than me but have a lot more grey hair as well.
“Yeah, that’s because I don’t color my hair - I’m not that vain.”
She laughed.
Andy chuckled and bumped his shoulder into hers again, his own smile warm as well, “You let me know when you find a place and need to move. I’ll help move boxes and furniture and all that other jazz.”
This time her smile was radiant, “You are a wonderful friend at times.”
Andy laughed, “As long as I stay quiet and don’t threaten people you mean.”
“Yes. When you are polite and nice, quiet and helpful that’s when I really like you.”
“So, you only like me every other full moon.”
She nodded, trying to keep a serious face, her lips compressed into a half smile.
Andy fake-sighed, “Well, I thought you liked me all worked up, yelling left and right.”
“Yes, caveman lieutenant is my favorite version of you,” she replied sardonically.
Andy grinned, “I know.”
They smiled at each other for a moment and then looked out over the city again.
…
=)