Kiss This Awful Day Goodbye

Major Crimes

Sharon/Andy

The clock chimed 1am when Sharon stumbled into her apartment; she dropped her bag by the door and pulled her wet coat from her body, allowing it to drop at her feet. She stood in a daze, unsure of what she ought to do. All her years as a trained Police Officer and she couldn't put the events of the last hour into some kind of scenario that made sense to her, she felt humiliated, ashamed that she'd allowed it to happen to her. She was suddenly aware of how cold she was, how shaky her hands were. She forced herself to move into the lounge and sat down on the sofa, clasping and unclasping her hands. She reached for her mobile that was in her trouser pocket and dialled the number she needed. Andrea was aware of her phone ringing but it hadn't quite registered, another few rings and she turned over in her bed and reached for her phone. Whoever was calling at this ungodly hour had better have a good reason she thought to herself as she pressed the answer button.

"Hello, Andrea Hobbs?"

"Andrea, its Sharon."

Andrea blinked a few times and quickly glanced at the caller id to see Sharon's name, she sat up in bed before pressing the phone to her ear again.

"Sharon, sorry I didn't realise it was you calling."

"Am I disturbing you?"

"Honey, its 1am…?"

"It is, oh Andrea I'm so sorry…I didn't realise the time, I should go, let you sleep."

"No it's fine, I'm awake now."

"Are you sure?"

Andrea could hear the slight shake in Sharon's voice as she spoke to her which immediately concerned her.

"Sharon, is there something wrong?"

"I…."

"You sound scared, where are you?"

"At my apartment, could you come over?"

"Sharon, what is it?"

"Please, could you just come over?"

"Sure, I'll be there in twenty."

"Thank you." She whispered.

Andrea quickly hung up and dressed quicker than she thought she was capable off. As she drove over to Sharon's all she could think about was the worry in her friend's voice, pulling in to the underground car park, she found a space and made her way to the elevator. It stopped at Sharon's floor, walking along the corridor she came to Sharon's door and knocked a few times before she eventually answered. Andrea was taken aback when she came face to face with her friend, a scratch down the side of her face and a small cut to her lip.

"Jesus, Sharon what happened to you?"

Andrea stepped forward, her hand coming to touch the side of Sharon's face but stopped when Sharon flinched at her touch.

"I didn't know who else to call."

"Come on, let's get you inside."

Andrea closed the door behind her and led Sharon back through to the lounge, as Sharon took a seat…Andrea went through to the bathroom and grabbed some antiseptic and cotton wool. When she returned, Sharon had poured them both some wine. Taking a seat beside her, Andrea turned Sharon's head so that she could tend to her injuries. They remained silent as Andrea cleaned her wounds, she could see Sharon's hand shake as she held her wine glass, trying not to make eye contact.

"Sharon…who did this to you?"

"Daniel Dunn."

"Rusty's Father…..why?"

"He received the papers informing him of my intentions to adopt Rusty."

"I didn't think he'd fight you on it."

"Neither did I but apparently I was wrong, he told me that even though he wasn't ready to be a proper Father to Rusty at the present time that it didn't mean he wasn't prepared to be in the future."

"Okay and in the meantime Rusty is supposed to sit and wait for him to accept him?"

"He came to the office, he was angry, yelling and telling me that I had no right to even consider adoption."

"Hey, you have every right, you're his gurdian. For the past two years you've raised that Boy as your own son, he adores you. As far as he's concerned you are his Mother. Daniel Dunn hasn't got a chance and if he tries to tell you differently…"

"No he….I think deep down he knows he doesn't stand a chance, that's why he was so angry."

"He hit you Sharon."

"I know, that's why I called you. I didn't know who else to call."

"Where is Rusty?"

"He's staying with Lieutenant Provenza for the night, he took him to a basketball game this afternoon."

"Well that's good; he doesn't need to see you like this."

Sharon stood up and began pacing in front of Andrea, trying to relieve some of the tension inside her. Andrea got up and stopped Sharon in her tracks, her hands on her arms soothing her instantly.

"You need to make a statement, he should be charged with assaulting a Police Officer."

"Andrea I….I feel so humiliated. The idea of telling this to someone just in uniform, I can't."

"Then let me call someone else, someone you trust with this."

"Like who?"

"Andy…"

"Andrea I don't know he…."

"He cares about you, we both know it."

"I know he does which is why telling him is a bad idea, the first thing he'll do is go and see Dunn and, I don't know….hit him."

"Andy's a professional."

"He allows his emotions to get the better of him."

"Occasionally….let me call him, please."

Sharon stood silent for a few moments before she nodded her head in agreement. Andrea handed Sharon her wine before stepping into the hallway to call Andy. He groaned at the loud ringing beside him, grabbing the phone in anger at being woken up at 2am.

"Whoever the hell this is, it better be life and death or I swear I…."

"Andy, its Andrea Hobbs."

"Andrea, sorry for the rudeness it's just….it's 2am."

"Yes I know, look I'm sorry but something's happened and I need you to come to Sharon's."

"Sharon's, why the….what is….what's happened?" He asked, the worry evident in his voice as he sat up in bed.

"She was assaulted."

"She was what, when…how?"

"Daniel Dunn, he hit her. She doesn't want just anyone taking her statement, she wants someone she trusts. I think she needs someone who can be trusted, someone who I know…cares a great deal about her."

"Am I that obvious."

"Only to me, well and maybe Lieutenant Provenza." She smiled.

"Tell her I'll be right over, oh and Andrea?"

"Yes."

"Look after her."

"Of course."

Sharon stiffened when she heard the front door; Andrea placed a warm hand on her arm before getting up and answering the door.

"Andy, thanks for coming."

"How could I not, how's she doing?"

"She's okay, you know how she can be."

"Only too well." He smiled.

Andy followed Andrea through to the lounge, his stomach knotting when he came to stand in front of Sharon and saw the cuts to her face.

"Sharon."

"Hello Andy, I'm so very sorry to drag you out of bed at such a late hour."

"I wouldn't be anywhere else, I mean it's my job right."

"Of course."

"I'm going to head home, give you some time on your own. Sharon, if you need anything just call me okay?"

"I will, thank you for coming Andrea."

Andrea saw herself to the door, Andy still standing in front of Sharon.

"Andy, do sit down….you're making me a little nervous."

"Sorry."

"Please….don't apologise. I'm sorry you had to come out here."

"Sharon don't, you've got nothing to apologise for."

Andy sat down beside her, gently lifting his hand to the side of her face, tracing the small cut. She relaxed right away when she felt his hand on her face, turning to him with tears in her eyes.

"I shouldn't have allowed this to happen to me, I'm a Police Officer for god sake."

"It wasn't your fault okay, it was his and we'll make him pay for what he did to you."

"I don't want Rusty to hate me for having his own Father arrested."

"The only person Rusty will be angry with is his Father….because he hurt you. As far as anyone around here is concerned, you are his Mother. You did nothing wrong, except try and protect your Son."

She smiled softly at him as his finger moved to the cut on her lip, seeing her look so scared and vulnerable just made him even more furious at Dunn for putting her through this. His finger moved slowly over the small cut, tracing the outline. Something in Andy's eyes made Sharon think about how much their relationship had changed since she had taken over Major Crimes, the hatred he had once felt for her had been replaced with, if she wasn't mistaken….love. Sharon's hand came up to cover Andy's as she locked eyes with him.

"Andy I….."

"I hate him so much for what he's done to you, I want nothing more than to go around there and beat the crap out of him."

"Andy please don't do that."

"For you I won't but he can't get away with it, right now you're going to go and try and get some sleep and first thing tomorrow we're going to get your statement done and get him arrested."

"I really don't feel like being on my own tonight." She whispered.

Andy moved closer to her, leaning in and giving her a small kiss, pulling back he could see her smiling softly at him.

"I'll stay on the sofa tonight if you like."

"Why don't we both just stay here, it's very comfortable."

She leaned in, drawing herself around his waist as she rested her head on his chest. He leaned back in to the sofa, placing a small kiss to the top of her head as he held her.

"Thank you for being here tonight Andy." She said quietly, as she looked up at him.

"Get some sleep, I'm right here."

-Fin