They had taken him.
The letters.
The letters represented a real threat they had said.
He needed protective custody.
It had taken them less than an hour to pick up all his belongings and drive him away.
She hadn't even been given the chance to say goodbye.
They had all watched as she had walked back into her office and stared out the window.
She hadn't said a word to anyone.
Not a single word.
"Captain"
"Hmmm"
"Are … are you okay?"
"I'm fine Lieutenant, why wouldn't I be?"
"It's just we all understand how you must be feeling, we'll cover for you if you want to head home"
"I'm fine, I'll think I will work a little longer, an empty apartment really isn't my idea of a good time"
"If you're sure"
"Yes"
Andy watched as she moved close to the window, a hand resting against the glass.
"You can go now Lieutenant"
He nodded even though he knew she wasn't watching him and shut the door behind him as he walked back to his desk.
"She alright?"
The ever sour Lieutenant looked at his partner with what for once seemed to be genuine concern.
"I'm worried about her"
"We all are, the kid meant a lot to her, hell he meant a lot to all of us"
"She won't leave, so I'm going to say as late as possible"
"Just don't let her do anything stupid"
"I won't"
As the hours went by the squad drifted away one by one until only Sharon and Andy remained.
"Go home Lieutenant"
"Captain, if it's alright with you, I have a lot of paper work to do"
"I do not need a babysitter Lieutenant; anyway, I'm leaving now, so should you"
He stood as she shut her office door and walked past the desks.
"Go home; I'll see you all tomorrow"
"Goodnight Captain"
…
The ringing woke him.
"Bloody phone"
He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and fumbled around on the bedside table for his phone.
"Flynn"
"Umm … Yeah … Hi … My names Mallory, I work at the Green Dragon pub down on 5th and Witchester"
"Yeah … why the hell are you ringing me at 4am?"
"Well … you see … this lady … came in at … I don't know … like 10:30 and is still here, I am really starting to worry about her"
"Why are you ringing me?
"Well her I.D says she's a cop and you are the most active number in her phone"
"What's her name; I know a lot of female cops"
"Wait a sec … Raydor … Sharon Raydor"
Andy shot out of bed, grabbing a set of trousers from the floor.
"Is she alright?"
"I took her keys earlier so she can't go anywhere but I'm pretty sure she can't get herself home"
"Look I'll be there in 20 … just don't let her go anywhere"
…
Her head had been spinning for a few hours now and although she knew she should stop the little voice that normally told she had had enough was being quiet today.
"Another"
The bartender gave her a wary look.
"Don't you think you should give it a rest?"
"Don't you think you should just do your god damm job?"
"Well I never pegged you as an aggressive drunk"
She spun off the stool, one hand gripping onto the bar.
"What …do … you… want?"
He stood in the bar door, coat slung over one arm, his badge in the other.
"I've come to take you home"
"Well I didn't call you … I don't want you"
"So you're going to drive yourself home in this state"
"What state … I'm fine"
Just to prove her point she pushed away from the bar and stalked across to him, moving smoothly even in her heels. She stopped in front of him, one hand on her hip, the other planted firmly against his chest.
"I don't need your help … I don't want your help … just go away"
He didn't say anything just let her walk past. He grabbed her keys and phone from the bartender and threw a thanks over his shoulder.
"Sharon wait"
"Go to hell"
"Been there, got the t-shirt, now wait, I'm driving you home"
"The hell you are, give me my keys"
"No"
"Lieutenant"
"Captain"
"Give me my keys; I need to get home for …"
He took a step forward when her hand flew to her mouth.
"Home for what?"
"I was going to say Rusty but that doesn't matter anymore"
She laughed and stumbled to her car, her heels not moving as smoothly on the rough tarmac.
"I really think you should let me take you home Sharon"
She laughed again.
"Home … it's not a home … it's a bat cave I hide in until my next shift"
He moved closer, worried, when he saw her start to sway.
"Sharon"
"He's gone, he's actually gone"
"I know he's gone but you need to let me help you"
"He made me feel wanted again, made me want to go home at the end of the day"
"He needed protection Sharon"
She spun to face him.
"Are you saying I couldn't have protected him … I would have done anything for him"
"We know that but it was Taylors call"
"Well Taylor can kiss my arse"
Andy couldn't help but smirk, he was sure she wouldn't remember this conversation.
"Sharon, I know you miss him but let me take you home"
"I'm sure you would love to take me home, after all everyone seems to think I'm some sort of Ice Queen"
"No one thinks that, we all …"
"DON'T LIE TO ME"
Shocked not only by the volume of her response but also the emotion he moved closer, stopping when he was within arm reach.
"I can still remember the whispered conversations when I was promoted to Captain … and then it happened all over again when I transferred to Major Crimes, you all seemed to think I didn't know you where talking about me … the bitch from IA"
He took another step forward, close enough now that he could see the tears on her cheeks.
"None of you liked me … then Rusty came along … and although I know he didn't like me to start with, it was nice to be needed"
"Sharon please"
"I could have protected him … I would have tried"
He leapt forward when her knees gave out from beneath her. He wrapped his arms around her, one under her knees and the other around her back. Her head fell against his chest as he lifted her into the air and carried her to the car.
Once he had her buckled into the passenger seat he sat in the driver's seat and started the engine.
Sharon didn't even attempt to keep the tears from falling; she just let them roll down her cheeks as she curled up on the seat, her hair falling down to cover her face.
It didn't take them to long to get back to her apartment, at that time of the morning there was no traffic at all.
"Sharon, we're here"
She didn't say anything. He turned to look at her, not surprised to find her asleep. He parked her car in the underground garage and picked her up.
"Let's get you upstairs"
Luckily there was no one but the doorman awake and he just nodded when Andy flashed his badge.
It only took him a moment to open her door, he kicked it shut behind him and headed for the bedroom. He could remember the last time he was here. They had been out for dinner; all three of them, and Rusty had left for his room. They had sat on her sofa, her drinking red wine, him drinking fizzy water watching a movie he picked, something to do with an American soldier and a white woman raised by Sioux Indians.
They had sat comfortably for hours before she had made the first move. He hadn't wanted to take advantage of her. She had wanted to take advantage of him. They had ended up in her bedroom before he had put a stop to it.
He pushed open her door and walked into the room.
"Well Sharon, why do you always have to be drunk for us to end up in your room?"
He gently laid her down on the bed, not bothering to pull the covers back. He slowly removed her clothes, item by item until she lay in just her underwear. He couldn't help but admire her physique. The curves were in all the right places, her legs went on for miles, her skin smooth.
He went to the nearest chest of drawers and found a t-shirt big enough to wear on its own.
Once he had dressed her he grabbed a blanket from her airing cupboard and covered her in it before he settled in the armchair next to her bed.
…
"Oh my dear god"
Sharon did her best to make the spots vanish when she opened her eyes but it took a few minutes. Her head was thumping and her stomach heaving. She looked around the room noticing that the curtains were still shut although she couldn't remember shutting them.
When her stomach started to calm down she felt well enough to sit up. She pushed herself up and swung her legs off the bed, the blanket falling away as she did.
She stood and stretched, moaning as all the tension was released. She could barely see the room, just making out the furniture as she headed towards her wardrobe.
Just as she opened the door Andy moved in his sleep in the chair. She spun around, her t-shirt rising up her legs as brought her arms up.
"Lieutenant Flynn"
He jumped when the slipper bounced off his head.
"What the hell are you doing in my bedroom?"
He stood, spotting her across the room.
"Don't you remember anything from last night?"
"Is there something I should be remembering?"
He walked closer to her, noticing the slightly glazed eyes, her messy hair, how her hands were shaking.
"Sharon I had to pick you up from a bar early this morning"
"No … I would remember"
"Sharon, you were drinking for hours, I'm not surprised you don't remember anything"
She stepped into her cupboard and he heard her rustling around for a few minutes. She stepped back out in some leggings and a hooded sweatshirt.
"I never thought I'd see the day when Sharon Raydor put on a hoodie"
"You are so funny"
"I do try"
"You still haven't answered my question, why are you in my room?"
He sat on the edge of her bed and picked up her phone.
"I brought you back here, put you to bed and waited … I needed to make sure you were going to be okay"
"That is very touching but I think you can go now"
He stood, and headed for the door.
"Sharon, you do know that you will see him again don't you?"
"Maybe one day … if we catch who ever is sending him these letters"
"Not if … when"
He did his best to give her an encouraging smile and headed for the front door.
"I swear Lieutenant if you tell anyone about this I will castrate you"
"Of course Captain … would I dare?"
She heard him open the door and turned to look at her mirror.
He was just shutting the door when he heard her snort.
"I'm never drinking ever again"
He couldn't help but laugh.
