Ladybird 2

A/N- In case anyone is into ten-codes, there's a list here if you want to look them up. I also changed the last chapter so that "Mattes" became "Ricky," as per tonight's episode. 

"The easy silence that you make for me, it's okay when there's nothing more to say to me."

-The Dixie Chicks, Easy Silence

________________________

Sharon pulled her car into a space in the LAPD garage, locked, and joined the crowd headed for the elevators. She missed the first two lifts and stood with a small group waiting for the third elevator to make its way back to the garage.

She was lost in thought when a middle-aged man with ruffled dark hair tapped her shoulder. He was tall, dressed in a neat blue suit. He had a huge grin on his face, and she could tell that he was one of those guys the girls loved.

"Hey Officer," he smiled. "Do you have a minute?"

She smiled back. His mood was infectious. "Sure."

"So my friend here," he gestured to a shorter man by his side with graying hair and an atrocious paisley tie. "It's his anniversary tomorrow and he doesn't know what to get his wife."

"See here, Flynn," the short man interrupted. "I just can't decide between getting Lizzie earrings or a necklace."

"Are you asking me to help you pick which one?" Sharon laughed.

"Well..."

"Yeah, he is," the tall one said.

Sharon thought for a minute. She didn't know a thing about the man's wife, but she knew her own tastes quite well. "If it were me, I'd go with the necklace. It'd be versatile and harder to lose." She paused. "And a girl can never have too many necklaces."

The tall man grinned widely. "That is exactly what I said! There you have it."

The shorter man rolled his eyes. "Don't mind him; he's just hot air."

The elevator dinged and they made their way towards it.

"Thanks for the help, Officer...?" The tall one started.

"Raydor. Sharon Raydor."

"Andy Flynn. And this idiot is Louie Provenza."

"If you're ever in robbery-homicide, stop by," Provenza said as Sharon got off at her stop.

She waved, then joined the wave of uniformed beat officers headed for the locker rooms. Sharon tossed her keys in her locker on top of her spare uniform, then walked back outside to join her partner, Meriwether Arthur.

He was tall and gangly, with his rumpled and fading copper hair fluttering in the breeze.

"Hey, Sharon," he called, melding her name into one syllable: Sharn. "Ready for another day in our beautiful Los Angeles?"

She laughed and slid into the car with him. "Hope it's quiet today."

Meri fell back into his seat. "My God. Was Rulebook Raydor partying it up last night?"

"Nah, just up late."

His face turned serious as he reversed out of their spot. "Shary, is this Jack again? How late did he get back?"

Sometimes Sharon withed Meri didn't have such a quick mind. "Not real late."

"Shar, that was one of the worst lies I've ever heard in my life. I thought I taught you better."

She giggled. After four years of partnership, they had learned each other well. "No, really, it wasn't that late. He's been later."

"'Me thinks the lady doth protest too much,'" he quoted, but left the subject alone. "Kate wants to have a get together on Saturday for everyone," he said, bringing up his wife's enthusiasm for group dinners. "You  know- Jimmy, Lucy, Carter... actually, I think Kate's planning on inviting the whole squad to our house for dinner. Could you and Jack come?"

Sharon knew Meri's wife fairly well, after some shared holidays and celebrations. "Yeah, that should be fine. May I bring Ricky?"

"Yeah, sure. Anna and Peter are home from college, so all the kids will be there. Lucy and Alex are both bringing theirs."

"Thanks."

"Anytime."

"This is dispatch," the radio crackled suddenly. "10-50 at Tenth and Sheridan Avenue. Nearby units respond."

Sharon leaned forward and picked up the radio. "This is unit two-twelve. We're close. ETA..." She glanced at Meri. "Two minutes?"

"Roger that, two-twelve. It's all yours."

"Not so quiet after all," Meri grunted. He turned onto a side street and began making his way back to Tenth Street.

It turned out to be a simple case: one man had rear-ended another. They exchanged information, it was documented, and everyone went on their way.

The rest of the day continued much like the first call. Several small calls. Drunk and disorderly, speeding, running a red light. Up and down, in and out. Sharon was royally tired by the time four o' clock rolled around and she could see similar weariness in Meri's face.

He was driving back to Parker Plaza when another call came over the radio. "We have a 10-80 in progress two blocks south of Parker Plaza. Suspect may be armed. Request all available units for back-up."

"Damn," Meri sighed. "Are we available, or not?"

"Meri... Of course we're available. We're only a couple streets over."

"Rulebook Raydor to the rescue," he laughed. "Okay. Let's go." He slapped the lights on and flipped a U-turn to catch up to the car chase. The siren whooped loudly and then screamed as they picked up speed. After a few minutes, Sharon could see other black-and-whites ahead of them, traveling in a pack down the road. She couldn't see the car being chased, but it apparently turned, as the stream of LAPD cars moved to the left.

She turned in her seat to get a better view of the road behind her and Meri. "Clear."

He spun the wheel to the left and they screeched around the corner. The car was trying to shake the police, turning down roads, seemingly at random.

"Clear." They spun around the corner again.

"Clear." The other way this time. Sharon was pressed back into her seat.

"Centripetal force," Meri grinned. "Nothing like a good car chase." He slammed on the brakes, throwing himself and Sharon against the seatbelts. "Sorry. It looks like we're stopping." The cars ahead were slowing too.

Sharon leaned out her window and peered over the cars. "I think we have the perp pinned. I can see cars on the other side of a sedan ahead of our group. There're people getting out." She could see cops flipping their car doors wide open and kneeling behind them, weapons drawn. "I think he's armed."

Meri grabbed her arm and pulled her back in. "Then you're waiting here. I'm going to go up and see what's going on."

"Mer-"

"No. Wait here. That's an order, Sergeant."

Sharon huffed angrily, but sat back. "Fine."

Meri ducked out and jogged up to the front line of cars, hunched over. He was talking to another man, half kneeling, hand on his gun. Sharon couldn't hear anything so she cast her gaze over the others, trying to pick out any familiar faces. It was hard from the back, all she could make out was a few long ponytails and service stripes on peoples' sleeves. Nothing conclusive. She was pretty sure Lucy was the tall blonde in the second row, but she wasn't sure. She was studying the woman when a sudden movement caught her eye. The man had dropped his gun and was making a run for it. Sharon's mouth dropped in surprise.

"That crazy son of gun..."

She was even more surprised when he turned in her direction, racing down the sidewalk. She watched him, checking for other weapons. She couldn't see any. She could hear Meri's voice in her head. Wait here. That's an order. She could see the others running after the man, but she knew they were still too far away.

So she did the first thing that came to mind. She waited until the man was nearly even with her car, then flung the door wide open. He crashed into the door, nearly flipping over the top with his speed. The door swung in again, but Sharon had braced it with her legs, and she shoved it open again, before leaping out and crashing into the man as he stumbled past the door.

He fell backward and she slammed on top of him. It left her breathless for a moment, but the man below her was gasping for breath. He blinked and his fist curved up to her face. It happened so quickly she didn't know what happened until she fell off him and her own hands reached up to him. She caught his feet with her legs and grasped his shirt in both hands. He tumbled over again and she punched him square in the nose. Then the others were there, lifting her off him and pulling him back, handcuffs sparkling in the light.

Meri stepped up to Sharon's side, trying not to smile. "I thought I said to stay put," he said, trying to be serious.

"I must have misheard you, sir," Sharon deadpanned. "My apologies."

He rolled his eyes and then turned away. "Anyone got a kleenex for the girl cop's nose?" he called.

Sharon touched her nose gingerly, and found her fingertips slightly sticky with blood. "It's fine; it'll stop in a minute."

Meri passed her a couple paper towels. "We'll just leave now. Robbery-Homicide might need a statement, 'cause I think this was their case, but it can wait. Let's head back to the plaza and get you cleaned up."

Not more than fifteen minutes later, she was standing at the bathroom mirror, washing her face. The nosebleed had been superficial, her nose perfectly normal. However, she could see the beginnings of a bruise around her eye and cheekbone. She had some concealer stored in her desk. She went to fetch it and was greeted by several members of her squad, gathered around her desk.

Carter, an incredibly tall older man, was the first to speak. "I heard you took a perp down today. He was your first tackle, wasn't he?"

"I didn't tackle him, just opened a door in his face."

Lucy laughed loudly. "Yeah, then you tackled him and broke his nose." She grinned. "Congrats! You officially have the first addition to your file."

"What?" Sharon gasped.

"FID put a little note on your file," Meri said. "Something along the lines of "Sergeant Sharon Raydor used justifiable force to subdue a suspect as he tried to escape police custody." Nothing exciting or the least bit close to bending any regs, but still. You've been initiated into the club."

"Ah." Sharon smiled back. "Good. I think."

Lucy shoved her back towards the door. "Before you cover up that bruise, FID wants to see you and Robbery-Homicide would like your statement."

Sharon checked her watch. Four-forty-five. She still had time before she had to pick up Ricky, if she was quick. She waved goodbye and then slid out the door. Meri ducked out after her and stopped her a short distance down the hall.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes, just this," she said, touching the bruise. After a moment, she saw what he was getting at. "Meri. I'm fine. The baby is fine. Don't worry."

"I do worry when you pull stunts."

"I'll try not to. This was accidental."

"Try not to have any more accidental flying tackles, as spectacular as they may be," he said, smiling.

She relaxed, realizing he wasn't angry. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay."

She turned and headed back towards FID and Robbery-Homicide. They shared a floor, and she slipped into the RH department first. It was almost empty, only a few officers left. Sharon walked over to them and and a dark-haired man with a captain's insignia turned to her.

"I was told someone up here wanted a statement from me..." she started.

"You're here about the Rogers case?"

"I think so."

He looked her over. "You the one who took the perp out with a car door?"

She blushed. "Yes, sir."

"That was a nice take-down, Officer," he said. "Mark Stoddard. I'm the department head, here."

"Sharon Raydor."

"Good to meet you," he replied. "I'll need a signed copy of your statement within the next day or two.



A/N- Just for future reference, what do you all think of the Ally Moore thing from season five of the Closer? I think you know what I mean. Also, thanks for the reviews; I'm glad you took the time. I probably won't have chapters up every other day like this all the time, but I'll try to get them up quickly.