James and Sharna One-Shots

Are You All Clear?

James met his partner Sharna in the parking garage of one of the many DWTS rehearsal studios late, very late, Friday night.

Her red hair was pulled into a messy topknot, her eyes were almost as red as her hair, and by the makeup smudges, James knew she'd been crying.

Nobody said anything as they approached one another.

"Hey."

"Hey." Sharna put her hands around his waist after he did the same to her.

She fumbled with the ring on her finger behind his back.

"So, here's the thing..." She was hesitant to talk.

"Sharna, look at me, you can tell me anything." James reassured her.

"My doctor cleared me, so in technical terms, I'm safe to dance, but he said there was a high risk of further injury if I jump back into where we were in the high paced, long rehearsals, so..."

"Sharna, stay off of your knee. Take the extra week."

"James..."

He used his thumb to wipe away her falling tears.

"Go, get some sleep."

"Okay."

She turned around, but froze midway.

"I-I don't have a car. Hayley brought me."

"Sharna, I'll drive you home, alright?"

Sharna collapsed into his arms, with even more tears pouring down her cheeks.

James supported her, he always had, he always would, but now he was physically supporting her so she wouldn't fall to the concrete floor of the garage.

"Paul and I broke up." She choked out. "He burned the key I once had in a bonfire party he threw."

"Sharna, oh my gosh, I am so sorry!" He held her close.

She cried for longer until James realized something.

"Where are you staying now?"

"I was with Hayley, until she brought her boyfriend to move in. Things just got awkward there, and she completely understood, but now I'm just checked in at the Hilton Garden Inn right up the street."

"No, you're coming to my house. You're staying in the guest room, I'm not okay with you staying alone in a hotel."

She couldn't argue.

She got into his car, and buckled her seat belt.

"What about B-B-Becky?" Sharna stuttered.

James didn't respond. He took one hand off the wheel, and wrapped it around Sharna.

"She'll be okay with it."

"Alright." She answered back in the same whisper the conversation had started in.

They got to his driveway, and went inside.

James walked her to the guest room and into the bathroom inside that room.

He patted his hand on the counter, telling Sharna to sit atop said counter.

She jumped onto the counter when James pulled a box of makeup removing wipes from the cabinet.

This was the guest room after all, so the cabinets were stocked with everything a guest would need.

He gently rubbed under her eyes, making the streaks of black makeup go away.

"Thank you, James, for doing this. Are you sure, Becky's alright with this? I can call Jenna and go stay with her."

"Shar, Becky and I broke up. Last week. She cheated on me with one of her co-workers, Matt."

"Oh my gosh, James, I was so focused on everything else for the show that I never picked up on that. I am so sorry! I am such a trashy partner."

"You are not trash, Sharna." He held her hand as she jumped off the counter. "You're very far from it."

He picked up her hand and kissed the back of it.

"Goodnight, Burgess."

"Goodnight, Hinch."