I Need You Safe

"I need you safe."

Sharons words from weeks before kept swimming around in his head as he walked down the hallway towards Chief Taylor's office. He knew that it was bad when he was told that Sharon and DDA Rios were waiting for him there. He just hoped that it was nothing to do with the letters. At that thought, he stopped in the hall, panicking. What if another letter had been sent and it had been given to Sharon? Swallowing around the sudden lump in his throat, he started walking again, picking up his pace. Within a matter of seconds, he was turning the corner for the hall leading to Taylors office. What he saw made him stumble to a stop. Sharon had been leaning against the wall, looking down at the thick pile of paper in her hand, but when she saw him, she stood up, showing him that she held the letters he had received.

For a moment, neither spoke, but instead looked at each other with varied amounts of sadness.

"Sharon…"

"I need you safe." She whispered, her green eyes filling with tears. "I need you safe Rusty."

Rusty opened his mouth to argue that he was safe and that it was just some creep sending him letters, but he knew by the look she was giving him that he wouldn't get away with it, so he closed his mouth and looked at her pleadingly.

"I need you safe, and these letters," She waved them slightly, "Show me that you're not." She said, standing in front of him.

"But Sharon-"

"I don't know what's going to happen now Rusty," She explained sadly. "I have no control now."

"Sharon."

Raising her hand, she touched his cheek, forcing herself not to cry. "Just know I love you."

Before he could say anything, Sharon had turned and opened the glass door to the outer office for him. Walking in, he paused in front of her, giving her a small smile. "I know."

Rusty sat beside Sharon, glaring at DDA Rios as she continued to rant to Taylor about having her witness living with an officer of the LAPD, who couldn't even protect him from threatening letters. As she continued to bad mouth Sharon and the woman beside him sunk lower in her chair, Rusty became increasingly angrier with each word that came out of her mouth. When she finally got the end of the familiar rant, wanting Rusty to be moved into witness protection, Sharon had hold of his hand, her knuckles white from the exertion.

"Captain Raydor cannot keep him safe any longer, the boy must be moved. I will not accept anything less." She said, slamming the manila folder down on the conference table.

Taylor jumped at the sound. Seeing the glare the young lady was getting from Rusty, and the disappointed expression Sharon wore as she looked at the table, he sat up straight and fixed his tie, a nervous action he had since he was in high school. "Emma, I'm sure Captain Raydor is more than adequate protection for Rusty."

"Oh?" She asked in disbelief, crossing her arms. "How?"

"She ranked the highest in the nationwide combat and shooting program all officers are required to do each year, for the past ten years."

Both Rusty and Emma looked at her, Rusty with more enthusiasm while Emma looked shocked before turning back into her snarky self. "She cannot be with the boy twenty-four seven."

"You're right," Sharon said, finally looking like her usual composed self. "I can't be with Rusty twenty-four seven."

"See, she agrees."

"Do not, interrupt me." Sharon snarled, standing up. "Out of the day, Rust only spends seven to eight hours a day away from me. During that time I have patrol pass the school and our home when he is there. If by some chance he is by himself, he has his cell and if necessary, he can defend himself quite well."

"I don't care if he can fight off a gun wielding bear; I want him out of your house and in witness protection."

Having had enough of Emma's rant, Rusty stood up beside Sharon. "If you take me away from Sharon, I am gone for good."

"You can't keep threatening to leave to get your way." Rios said, leaning on the table.

"Oh yeah?" He asked, picking up his school bag. "Watch me."

And with that, he turned and left, only stoping when Emma finally lost control of her anger.

"She's not your mother you know!" She snapped.

Not looking back, he replied. "I know."

Believing she had him, she crossed her arms with a smirk. "Good."

Turning around slowly, he looked at her blankly. "I know because Sharon is here and my mother is not." He nodded towards Taylor and Sharon. "I'll be in your office."

Nodding back with a smile, Sharon watched as he walked out of the outer office before turning to look at Rios. Sitting at the end of table, Taylor shifted in his seat, not liking the sudden suffocating atmosphere of the room.

"He will be out of your house in the next two days or else." Emma threatened, picking up all of her files.

Waiting until the younger woman looked back up at her, Sharon glared, falling back into her role of the Wicked Witch. "Sit down."

Doing as told, the brunette sat, a look of fear flashing across her face.

"Rusty will not be removed from my home or my custody," She said in the same chilling tone, walking around the table. "I won't allow it to happen because he will make good on his threat, and you will lose the only key witness you have for the Philip Stroh case."

As Sharon moved closer, Emma tried to subtly move back in her chair.

"He will leave my house when I can't protect him with everything I have." Leaning in real close to the shacking woman, Sharon whispered. "So, the only way for you to get him to leave the only stable environment he's known is over my dead body." Standing up straight, Sharon nodded to Taylor. "Chief." Before leaving as well.

After some time, Emma let out a shaky breath. "That woman," She started, only to be cut off by Taylor as he stood up.

"Will do everything in her power to keep the boy safe."

Sharon opened the door to her office and instantly she was bombarded with questions and apologies from Rusty.

"Is she going to send me away? I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the other letters; I just didn't want to be sent away. I promise if I get anymore I'll tell you. Please, don't send me away Sharon."

Holding up her hand, she shook her head. "You're not being moved, I've made sure of that." She said, sitting down on the two seater couch at the far end of her office. "But you have to understand Rusty," As she spoke, he sat down beside her, "If I cannot protect you, I will give up custody of you."

"No Sharon, listen-"

Shaking her head again, she grasped his hand. "I need you to be safe Rusty, and if you're not safe with me, I will find somewhere where you will be."

"Sharon-"

"I need you safe, can you understand that? I need you safe."

Slowly, Rusty nodded his head.