The Uninvited

by Kadi

Rated T

Disclaimer: I'm playing in the sandbox, but it isn't mine to keep.

A/N: This is what happens when Jack Raydor goes where he is not invited… for example, when he tries to stick around in my head. He'll think better of it next time, I'm sure.

For the #FlynnGirls, you know who you are… and especially: lontanissima, kate04us, & Cassidy Blue that was one of the best birthdays yet! So Thank you! Enjoy!

The kid was going to be out of town for the weekend. After his son let that tidbit of information leak, Jack Raydor spent several days thinking of how he could use that information to his advantage. The conversation with Ricky had been casual enough. When he asked his son what he was doing the following weekend, he mentioned that Rusty was coming up for a couple of days to check out the schools in the area. Ricky explained that the boy was completely set on staying in Los Angeles, but Sharon wanted him to see what else was available to him. Knowing his wife, she was using it as a bonding tool for the boys, especially if that adoption idea of hers was going to go forward.

First thing was first. Before Jackson would be even remotely interested in discussing that idea of hers, he needed to stop the divorce. He realized he probably only had the one shot left at it. He needed to approach Sharon while she wasn't focused on the boy or some case. The latter was going to be hard enough, the first damned near impossible while the kid was in town. Finding out that Rusty was going to be away, that was certainly a move in the right direction as far as his luck was concerned. Now if he could just get her alone.

Sharon wasn't returning his calls, but then he hadn't expected she would. When that woman set her mind to something, changing it was like trying to turn the tide. He was confident though, that if he could just sit down with her and talk about the way things used to be… the way they could be again, if she would just listen to reason, he could talk some sense into her. There was honestly no reason to shake up the good thing they had going. This marriage might be inconvenient for her at the moment, but he was willing to make certain concessions, if he had to, to hold onto it.

They had the best of both worlds here, didn't they? It seemed he just needed to remind Sharon of that. They were married, when it suited them to be. Otherwise, they lived their own lives. Surely she wasn't really going to give that up. It served its purpose for the last twenty-plus years.

Jack felt confident that when he pointed that out, and finally agreed to go along with the damned adoption she wanted, Sharon would call a halt to the divorce proceedings. It was going to be a pain in the ass, he knew, making everything official where Rusty was concerned. Here they were, finally in the clear where their real kids were concerned, and now she wanted to go and add another four years, or more, of college tuition, housing, and any other headaches a third child would bring.

He would play along. Long enough to get the result he wanted. Then Sharon would eventually just suck it up like she had with the other two.

First thing was first, however. He needed to actually be able to speak to his stubborn wife.

Jack waited until he knew Rusty left for the weekend, which he did on a Friday afternoon in late July. He drove over to the condo later in the evening. Sharon wasn't home, but then that wasn't much of a surprise. Her hours weren't what he would call normal, or regular. Jack supposed she was probably hip deep in something, but she would show up eventually.

She'd changed the locks, but she couldn't do anything about the fact that legally, they were still married. Jack smirked a bit that she also failed to mention to the building manager that he was no longer welcome. All Jack had to do was tell him that he'd lost his key, and he was let into the apartment. It really wasn't unusual for him to show up at odd hours or intervals, and this wouldn't be the first time he'd used that excuse. Although, to be completely honest, he had actually lost the key the last time.

In any event, it got him inside the apartment. There hadn't been many changes since he was last there. That didn't surprise him. Sharon was a creature of habit. There was a place for everything, and everything in it's place. Jack rolled his eyes as he walked through the outer rooms. That included him, as far as she was always concerned.

Jack snorted quietly and made his way into the kitchen. He'd brought a few items with him. The key to getting anywhere with Sharon was distraction, and that meant setting the proper stage. He'd make dinner and have it waiting when she did finally show up. She would see right through the doting husband routine, of course, but the distraction of it would open a window wide enough for him to wriggle his way though. At least, with any luck. He was hoping, as he got to work, that luck was going to be on his side.

Afterward, with dinner prepared, Jack settled in to wait.

He was prepared when an hour stretched into two, and then started to grow nearer to three. He occupied himself with the television, although the allure of snooping was rather great. He decided that probably would not be in his best interests, if getting back into Sharon's good graces, or at least tolerated graces, was his goal.

It was nearing midnight when he finally heard the key turning in the lock. He reached for the remote and shut off the television. Then he half turned, and positioned himself on the sofa so that he could watch her walk into the apartment.

The door opened, rather more loudly and with little finesse than he would expect. It was bumped open, and then pushed as it tried to close again. Sharon was laughing as she backed into the apartment, and for a moment Jack was tempted to rise, expecting that she might have her hands full. He stopped as soon as the idea occurred, realizing immediately that her hands were certainly full, but not of anything that he might have expected.

The door was kicked closed behind him. Andy's hands were at her waist, sweeping beneath the soft, blue sweater she'd worn to dinner. He felt the hitch in her breath as his thumbs stroked her sides, just above the waist of the simple, black pencil skirt that she was wearing. They moved across the entry way and he pressed her into the wall as she curled an arm around his neck, while the other fumbled beside them to drop keys and purse in the usual spot. At the quiet thump of her purse against the table and her keys rattling in the silver tray, he pulled her back against him and began walking her around the corner of the wall.

She laughed when his shoulder nudged a painting as they passed it, not quite managing to clear the wall as they made their backward, distracted move toward the hall. "Painting three, Flynn zero," Sharon teased against his mouth. Her hip struck the small decorative table when they neared the hall and prepared to make that turn, and she snorted quietly. It rattled, but didn't tip.

A quiet chuckle rumbled in his throat. "I think that's table five, Raydor nothing." Andy's hands moved up her sides, over her ribcage. His lips moved along the curve of her jaw, and he nosed her hair aside when they reached her neck. Her hands were at his belt, he groaned quietly when she tugged at the clasp. "Okay, four…"

She chuckled again and tilted her head to the side, offering her neck to him. "Actually, I think that one is on you," she stated, voice pitched low. Sharon tugged at his shirt, pulling it free of his slacks once she had his belt open. Her hands moved beneath it and she smiled when his breath hitched as her nails ran lightly up his sides.

The wall seemed a good enough place to stop for the moment. They stood just inside the hall, and he pressed her against it and quickly shrugged out of his jacket. Andy gave it an absent toss, aiming in the vicinity of the sofa. Then his hands were on her again. "We should talk about your decorating skills. The table might need to go."

Sharon tipped her head back against the wall and gazed up at him. Her eyes were dark, heavily lidded. She swept her tongue across her bottom lip and smirked at him. She toed out of her heels while they stood there, their momentum momentarily halted. "Do you really want to discuss my relationship with my interior designer right now?"

"Not especially." He captured her hands and drew them over her head, where he braced them against the wall as he lowered his mouth to hers again.

"I think I'd like to talk about what the hell is going on around here!" Jack batted the jacket aside when it struck his arm. He was a little dumbfounded, for just a few moments, and now he was coming out of it. He glowered at the pair.

The kiss stopped before it could become too heated. They stood, silent and unmoving, lips still touching. Slowly, Andy lifted his head, but his eyes remained fixed on the woman in his arms. "I thought you changed the locks," he asked carefully.

She gazed back at him, just as puzzled. "I did."

Andy's jaw clenched. He drew her hands down, but didn't immediately release them. "Maybe it's your machine." It was an archaic thought, in a world with cell phones and voicemail, but better than the reality, surely.

A brow slowly arched, while her lips pursed. Sharon tipped her head and peered around his shoulder, into the living room. "I'm afraid not."

He sighed and reluctantly stepped back. "Well, that'll kill the mood."

Jack's hands found their way to his hips. "Sharon." His blue eyes flashed with irritation before they narrowed. "I guess now I can understand why you were in such a hurry to get that divorce rolling."

"Oh Jack," She rolled her eyes at him. "That has nothing to do with this." Sharon waved a hand in Andy's direction. "I just don't want to be married to you anymore." She glanced at her lover. "No offense."

"None taken." He fought the urge to smirk and folded his arms across his chest. She walked into the living room and he followed, standing close, but without crowding her. In all honesty, she might have waited until the divorce papers were filed before they had taken this step, but he was fully aware that it had nothing to do with him. Andy was good with that. Preferred it, actually. He wanted there to be no lingering questions in her mind at where she stood with him as they moved forward. If his nonchalance happened to irritate Jack more, well, that was just an added bonus. "Jack."

His teeth ground together. So, she wasn't dating anyone was she? Looked like the kid had either lied, or was oblivious to what was going on in front of him. He'd had a feeling it was the Lieutenant, based on a few things he'd heard. He still had some friends around town, a couple of them with the Department. "Flynn." A muscle in his jaw ticked. "Mind telling me what you're doing pawing at my wife?"

"Ex-wife," Sharon pointed out. Her head inclined. "Almost, well, mostly. At this point I think it's really just so much about paperwork and formalities. The intent is there, so why get caught up on technicalities." Her arms crossed against her chest and she studied him for a moment before shaking her head. "Jack, what are you doing here? How are you here, wait…" Sharon held up a hand. "Don't tell me that. I don't want to have to get some poor, clueless building manager fired because you sold him a line of crap."

She was being entirely too flippant for his liking, but then she did tend to become sarcastic when she was trying to decide whether or not to be upset about something. Jack threw his hands up in exasperation. "Well, I would think it's obvious, Sharon. I thought we should talk, about us!" He waved a hand in the direction of the kitchen. "I made dinner! I was hoping we could sit down and discuss things before they went too far. I sure as hell didn't plan to find you screwing around with this bozo."

"Hm." She hummed quietly. Her lips pursed again while she considered that. It was, quite possibly, the most ridiculous thing that she had ever heard. After years of moving in and out of her life, more out than in, to be exact… he wanted to discuss things? How many times had she tried to get Jack to sit down and talk things out with her over the course of their very long separation? To no avail… It seemed he was only interested in discussing them when it suited his purpose. For instance… filing for divorce. Jack was perfectly content to live in Los Angeles without making contact with his wife or even acknowledging that he had one. Now, he was claiming her as though he had a right. She found that to be so very irritating.

Sharon sighed. "Jack, there is no us. There hasn't been for a very long time. I can't even say that I appreciate the gesture because we both know this has nothing to do with us and everything to do with the fact that you're about to lose access to everything that I own." Her pension, her investments, the properties… all of it came into effect after they filed the legal separation. She was protected. Unless he really wanted to fight, and Sharon just didn't see that happening. Jack had neither the attention span nor the finances to draw the divorce proceedings out to that level. Coupled with that was the fact that he'd abandoned them, and not a single dime of the child support requested in their separation agreement had been paid. He really didn't have a legal leg to stand on.

"That's a pretty cold thing to say," he accused. Jack shook his head at her. "You're the one tossing it all aside, Sharon. You could at least be honest about the reason. How long have you been having an affair behind my back."

She laughed. Sharon couldn't manage to contain the sudden bubble of laughter that escaped her. "You always did mistake my honesty for being cold." She shrugged. "You know, Jack, I don't think that's really a discussion that you want to start. I'm confident you won't like the result." She'd rather not discuss any of it in front of Andy, in front of anyone actually, but it was what it was. "I've moved on, Jack." Sharon drew a breath and let it out slowly, her voice was tinged with regret, but there was plenty of resignation in her tone. "Much as you have, many times before."

"Yeah, but we had a good thing going." He wasn't ready to give up just yet. Jack shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Come on, Sharon," he said plaintively. "There's no reason to get divorced now. I mean…" He tilted his head at her, let his voice drop. "I think we both know that I'm not the only one, and he's not the first…" He cut a smug look at Andy. "No offense."

Andy rolled his eyes at the guy. Now he just wanted to toss him out the door, but that was a familiar emotion where Jack was concerned. Especially lately and after getting to know Sharon better. He knew the other man was trying to draw him into an argument, instead he kept his mouth wisely shut. If Jack thought he'd be surprised, or upset, he had another thing coming. He'd hardly expect a woman that looked like Sharon to be celibate for over twenty years. Instead, Andy stepped forward until he was beside Sharon and cast a sideways look at her. "I should get out of here. Let you handle this."

"No." Sharon lay a hand on his arm. It was the first night they'd had alone together in almost two weeks. They had simply been too busy for more than a passing conversation, much less dinner or any meaningful time spent together. Tonight they'd managed dinner and a walk along the Santa Monica pier, it was rather novel, but they were together and it was peaceful. At least, it was until now. "You should stay," Sharon said quietly. "Jack was just leaving."

She gazed up at him, and for just a moment, she felt a bit unsure. She made her intentions clear by filing for the divorce, but for the first time, she was making a choice. It wasn't exactly a choice between the two men, although that was obvious enough. She was making a choice for herself. She could let Andy go, and end up being drawn further into a familiar argument with Jack, one where he would attempt to guilt her or manipulate her into pitying him until all she felt was regret and resentment, or… Andy could stay, and Jack could go. She could push the door on that chapter of her life that much farther to being closed, and she could have the quiet, peaceful night she had been looking forward to with the man that she really thought that she could love, if given the opportunity to explore that. It was an opportunity that she was ready to reach out and grasp, this time with both hands.

There was an uncertainty in her gaze, and when she smiled up at him, it was hopeful. Andy shoved his hands into his pockets. He rocked back on his heels and nodded. "Yeah," he replied, just as quietly. "I can do that." The moment wasn't completely lost on him, and he had to acknowledge, even if just for himself, that for just a second or two… he thought she might let him go. Marriage was a tricky thing, and divorce was even trickier. He knew that Sharon and Jack had a long and complicated history. Just as he did with his own ex-wife.

Her hand stroked his arm and she smiled again. Then her attention shifted back to her soon-to-be ex-husband. "I'm asking you to leave, Jack. Go home."

"I really hope you know what you're doing." Jack shook his head at her. "You know this isn't just about us. Our kids, our families, what do you think they're going to think about this?" It was a desperate, last ditch effort to talk some sense into her, but it was all he had at the moment.

Sharon sighed quietly. "Probably that it's about time." She smiled sadly. "Which is exactly what Ricky and Emily had to say about it. Jack, these aren't things that you are unaware of." She walked over and opened the door for him, since he seemed reluctant to do it for himself. "Goodbye, Jack," she said, this time a bit more strenuously.

He ran a hand through his hair. Jack sighed in exasperation and finally he strode toward the door. He grabbed his own jacket from the chair upon which he'd tossed it as he went. "I hope you know that you're making a mistake," Jack ground out.

"Then it is mine to make," she said easily. He stopped to stare at her before finally he walked through the open door. Sharon pushed it closed behind him. She leaned against the door and closed her eyes. These little confrontations with Jack were always trying. She drew a breath and let it out slowly. Once expelled, her eyes opened again. She found Andy watching her, quietly, patiently. There was concern in his gaze, however. "I'm sorry."

"You should be." The corners of his mouth twitched. Andy continued to watch her, somehow managing to keep his expression impassive. "It's just horrible how you invited Jack over, asked him to make you dinner, and tossed me in his face like that. I feel so used."

Sharon snorted quietly and pushed away from the door. She strode toward him. "It was, wasn't it? It almost seems a waste to have had the locks changed if I was just going to let him in like that." When she reached him, she lay her hands against his sides and tipped her head back. "Remind me to call the building manager."

"Remind me to dial it for you." His arms slipped around her. Andy tugged her closer. "You okay?" he asked more seriously.

"Hm." She hummed quietly while she thought about it. "I am," Sharon said. "I think, that, more than anything… tells me that it really was time. I was ready."

"That's good to know." A smile slowly curved his lips. "All things considered." He glanced meaningfully at the way they were standing, then shot a look toward the hall, where they had been earlier.

The sparkle in his dark eyes had her groaning. Sharon's forehead dropped to rest against his chest. "You're horrible," she muttered.

"Yeah." He lay his hands against her shoulders and dropped a kiss to the top of her head. "You knew that."

"I did," Sharon agreed. She could not deny, even for a moment, that she didn't know exactly what she was getting into with him. She stood there for a moment longer, not looking up until she felt rather than heard his laughter. "What?" She almost didn't want to know. Her lips trembled with the effort not to smile, instead she rolled her eyes at him. "Andy."

His eyes sparkled, while his mouth twisted into a playful smirk. "I was just thinking that it was pretty obvious what the hell was going on at the point that I had my hand up your shirt and you were trying to take my pants off."

"Oh god," She buried her face against his chest again as she started to giggle. It was a bit embarrassing, even if he had practically broken into her apartment.

"On the upside," Andy continued. "At least it wasn't Rusty." When she snickered, he pushed his hands into her hair and tipped her head back. Her eyes were lighter, shining with mirth. That was better.

"That is a plus," she agreed. Sharon leaned into him and let her lips brush the tip of his chin. "He made me dinner," she stated. Her nose wrinkled. Empty gestures were Jack's specialty. Now she was going to be left with the mess. Another speciality of his.

"Come on," Andy curled an arm around her shoulders. "I'll help you toss it out."

"No." Her hands gripped his shirt and she tugged him back toward her. "Leave it. I'll get it later." She began backing down the hall. "I think we had other plans for the evening."

"Oh yeah?" Andy let himself be drawn down the hall. When they tripped over the heels she stepped out of in the hall, he shook his head at her. "First the decorating, now the housekeeping…" He pulled her, laughing, back into his arms as they reclaimed their earlier, playful, momentum down the hall.

It seemed neither of them were prepared to allow Jack to fully spoil their evening. Perhaps next time he'd think better sneaking in where he wasn't wanted.

~FIN