It had been a hard, emotional day, he knew Sharon was only doing what she was in order to keep him safe, but it hurt, it hurt deep and as he sat on the bed on Lieutenant Provenza spare room, the letter her found on laying on top of his clothes in the suite case Sharon has packed for him while he sat and sulked refusing to move from her couch, he could help but let a single tear escape from his eye. A mixture of tiredness, anger and fear. Not only for his life and for Sharon's not also of the fear of never being able to go back home, home to his own personal Police Captain, home to his Sharon, home to where he has never been happier, home to the only person who has ever really cared about, home to the person he was beginning to see a mother figure.

He turned the letter over in his fingers a few more times before sighing and opening the envelope. Slowly he pulled the letter out and opened it up

My dearest Rusty,

I know you probably hate me right about now, and I'm sorry for that, I wish there was some other way around this, but there isn't, and Rusty even if you don't believe me right now, your safety is the most important thing to me

I'm sorry for everything I've said

And for anything I forgot to say too

When things get so complicated

I stumble, at best, muddle through

You've been through so much in your short years, so much more than anyone should ever have to endure, and I wish there was a way I could take it all away, take the pain away, the nightmares that you try so hard to hide away but I can't and it kills me inside.

You are being so brave and so strong; I don't even know where to begin to tell you how proud I am of you.

We have come so far from those first few weeks, you have grown into a charm, delightful young man, yes you have your moments, but then I'm sure you would say the same about me.

I wish that our lives could be simple

I don't want the world, only you

I wish I could tell you this face to face

But there's never the time, never the place

So this letter will have to do

You have brought a light in to my home that I didn't know was missing, a warmth that fills the condo, it feels so cold without you here, but its only short term, I don't make promises often, as you know, but I promise you this, you will be coming home.

Rusty I know you are not happy with the way things have planned out, and I'm truly sorry, know that with all my heart if I could keep you here with me, I would, in a heartbeat, but I can't risk losing you.

I'm so sorry.

I love you

Sharon.

The tears were falling freely by the time he had gotten to the end of the letter, he could see by the way some of the writing had smudged Sharon has been crying when she wrote it, he wondered when she had had the chance and remembered her rushing off to her bedroom as soon as she got back to the condo after his attack.

He reached for his phone on the night stand and scrolled down to Sharon's name and clicking up a message book before typing the first 4 words that came to his mind and hitting send.

That night they both feel a sleep with tear stained faces, Rusty holding on tightly to his letter from Sharon and Sharon holding on to her phone displaying her latest message from Rusty

I love you too.

Song by Elton John and Tim Rice – Amneris' letter sang by Shania Twain