When the darkness comes

Author: Juliana Alves

Beta: I would like to thank Debs (/u/4540845/Debbora), my beta and friend, for having reviewed and corrected all my mistakes. hahaha. Without you this chapter certainly wouldn't have come to life. Thanks :) I love you. S2

Category: Shandy, Romance, Angst, Violence, Drama, Comfort

Warnings: Sex Description, Sexual Violence

Classification: NC-17

Chapters: ?

Complete: [] Yes [x] No

Summary: Even in her most difficult times, Sharon could see the light at the end of the tunnel, but not this time. In this moment, she couldn't see the light as the darkness threatened to envelop her completely.

Disclaimer: Major Crimes does not belong to me but to TNT and James Duff.

TRIGGER WARNING: RAPE

..

A/N: I know some people had some difficulty translating the story when I wrote in Portuguese. It was difficult, but I did my best. As I promised, I will try to translate all chapters into English.

Here's the first chapter, if there's a mistake, it's my mistake. hahaha

Hope you like it! :)

Chapter 1

Andy sat next to Provenza with his Cranberry soda and sighed happily. After days trying to close the case, Brenda's team had finally managed to arrest the killer. It was not easy, but they were satisfied with the result.

Brenda and Fritz were talking to Gabriel about the upcoming baseball championship the LAPD was organizing. This year would be the first one the team would actively participate, and it excited them. Provenza, Sanchez and Tao, in the other corner of the room, argued feverously about the new equipment Buzz got in the Electronics Room, while he just smirked and rolled his eyes at them.

However, even feeling a little bit cheerful than usual, Andy wanted nothing more than to go home. He was tired and all he really needed was a good shower and the warmth of his bed. Of course, he liked spending time with them, but tonight the Lieutenant couldn't wait to get away. Those thoughts were so eminent in his head, he almost didn't feel his phone vibrating in his pocket. As he reached for it, his senses came back. Who would call him was beyond his current poor line of thought, so curiosity just grew as he approached the phone to his ear as he checked his watch on his other arm. It was not too late in the night, but he knew anyone, except maybe for Nicole, would call him.

"Flynn". His voice was firm but slow, with a hint of curiosity.

"Lieutenant Flynn, this is Captain Raydor. I think today is your lucky day". Her voice was breathless and a little muffled. Andy was immediately alert. He could tell this was not an ordinary call. The pain was evident in her voice, but he decided to wait before jumping to conclusions. "I need your help with a little trouble".

"S- sure". He answered as he walked away from the team, afraid they would notice the tone of the conversation, specially Provenza.

Andy could feel the older Lieutenant staring at him as he headed to the exit but he just hoped, internally, his friend would just ignore him. Glancing back briefly, he tried to understand his partner's body language. He was sure Provenza would interrogate him later. But, as soon as he got in a quieter part of their floor, his worries returned to Sharon.

He could feel in his body a slightly fear in asking her. A shiver crossed his spine as he gathered his mouth to pronounce the words. The circumstances of last time they used that specific sentence, he ended up with more stitches than he could count and days stuck on paper work that any officer would like.

"Captain, what happened?"

"I- I don't know if I can explain it right now". Her voice felt agitated but scattered at the same time.

"Alright, don't worry". He reassured her. "Just tell me where you are and I'll get there". Pulling the car key out of his pocket, he got back into the Murder Room, heading towards his partner. As soon as Andy told his friend discreetly that he had to leave, he tried his hardest not to run to the exit. He didn't want to alarm anyone.

However, his exit was not unnoticed by his colleagues, who, at first, glanced at him trying to understand what was happening, but they figured it wasn't anything to worry about, because Andy would tell them. So, they rapidly got back in their conversations and drinks.

In the garage, Andy started the car as he asked Sharon her location. The way his Captain expressed herself made him even more worried. She is a consistent, steady woman, but for some reason, she seemed lost during the call.

"I'm...". He could imagine her struggling to see the name somewhere. "at the 5th Avenue with the 7th, on Amazon".

"Alright, I'm on my way–".

"Please –". She interrupted him. "Don't hang up." Her supplication caught him off guard, he suddenly was speechless.

Andy didn't know what to tell her. They were not friends; they've never had a former conversation. He couldn't gather a single information about her that would make a safe zone to small talk. Even his police training to deal under stress, seemed to fail him in this moment. This was his Captain, whom he knew very little about, so what should he talk to her about?

The lieutenant could hear her breathing grow a little as if the fear was consuming her mind. Little did she know that this had the same effect on him. He was even more apprehensive now than before. This whole scenario was unthinkable to him, so he asked her the first thing that came into his mind, hoping it would work.

"Okay, let's talk then". Taking a deep breath, for the first time in this whole situation, he tried to calm his voice down. "So, I hear that you're a Dodger fan".

A moment of silence crossed the line and he tensed for a fraction of second. Oh, maybe that wasn't the right question. What if she didn't even like baseball. Should him ask about her favorite book? Author? Novel –

"Really, Andy? You want to talk about baseball now?".

As fast as those questions came into his line of thought, they quickly evaporated. "Oh, so do you have another suggestion?". He became slightly frustrated for a second, but the feeling faded when realized that she felt the same way, which, strangely seemed to do the trick. She started to sounded more like herself.

"Look... just stay on the line, okay?". Sharon said trying to keep her voice steady.

"Don't worry, I'm almost there." He comforted her, as he ignored his heart pounding heavily.

Andy was sure he broke all traffic existing rules, the anxiety to know what he was going to find only grew as he got closer. One of his main worry thought, evolved around the reason why she called him in particular. He knew, lately, the FID and Major Crimes were working side by side. Of course, they were trying to be, at least, civil with one another, maybe even friendly, but it was just that. So, of all people, it was strange from her to call him.

"Andy, are you still there?".

"I am".

"I like the Dodgers, but I don't have anyone to go with me to the stadium. Going alone is not as joyful as going with someone". Her whisper was childish and Andy felt tenderness through him.

"Yeah, so how about we go someday?". He didn't even realize the question left his mouth. Maybe it was the feeling of surprise that filled him. He would never have thought she would have something in common with him. That's new.

"Oh, you want to take the Wicked Witch to a game?" Her playful tone soothed him. "You like living dangerously, don't you, Lieutenant?".

"What can I say? It's part of my charm, Captain". He smiled, and she could feel he did so.

The silence settled again and Andy finally saw the signs of the place she referred to. He slowed his car to focus on his surroundings. Checking any suspicious movement while he tried to spot Sharon. But nothing caught his attention.

"Sharon". He said. "I'm here. Can you tell me where exactly you are?".

"In the alley." Her voice changed again, it was so low he almost couldn't hear the information.

After parking the car, he looked around and felt his body shiver. The area was commercial and all shops were closed. From where he was, he could see an open supermarket, but it was distant. He tried to find the exact spot she told him; however, it was very dark.

Grabbing the flashlight firmly, he started to head to where she said she was. His phone was close to his ear and he could hear her breathing, she was as nervous as before, and if she wasn't careful, she would lose it before he got there.

"Hey, Sharon, can you guide me? I can't find you". Calling her attention to this little assignment might help her focus on something else, and calm her down.

"I can see a pole and a red board...".

"Okay, and the other side?"

"I think it's dead end, but I'm not sure."

"Okay, don't worry. I'll be there soon, I just need..." His eyes finally spotted the sign she had spoken of. "I found it; I'm coming".

Andy hurried and nearly tripped over a can of soup at the beginning of the alley. He swallowed the small curse that almost got out of his mouth, as all the air left his lungs. This was definitely not an ordinary night. Not at all.

As Tao finished of his many jokes, the team couldn't hold their laughs. Even Provenza cracked up at his joke, which brought a wide smile on Tao's face. While he whipped off a tear of joy on his face, Provenza watched closely his friends' features and by the looks on their faces, it was a fact that in a few more doses they would be definitely drunk soon. What a pity, when he most needed his private driver, he vanished. And worse, without even explaining why! Now he would have to go home by himself.

Brenda, who was in the middle of a debate about the best way to interrogate a suspect, suddenly stopped, as Provenza's ringtone took everyone's attention. Curiosity was evident in their eyes.

"What do you want Flynn?" His tone rapidly went from playful to matching his facial expression, his classic angry frown. "Oh, and you can't even tell me the reason? What the hell, Flynn– Yeah, of course I will, but can't you just say what happened?".

It took a while for Andy to explain what had occurred without really saying too much. A few seconds later, Provenza hang up with a grunt and confirming to Andy the whole team would be there, he was left with pairs of curious eyes on him. He didn't even know exactly what happened, but based on his friend's tone, he could presume this wasn't something good nor typical.

"It was Flynn, he asked us to go to some address and that he had a case in hand. He asked for discretion and apparently, he is going to explain what's going on when we arrive– and Ah! No sirens".

"What? He didn't even say what it was?" Brenda questioned intrigued.

"Only it was urgent." The rest of the team stared at Brenda, waiting for her to take the first step. The same feeling that crypted thought Andy's mind earlier, invaded the team, and they felt concerned with such uncertainness. Was it something to do with his family? Or something he did himself? They knew Andy tended to get into trouble for no apparent reason, but they couldn't figure out what had occurred exactly.

Brenda stared at Fritz and he shrugged, without much choice she got up and took her coat. The others followed her lead.

Andy, cautiously, walked further into the alley. He dodged some food cans when his eyes focus on the floor and his heart quickened. A trail of blood. Actually, a subtitle trail of small drops, that could had come from a small cut, or a bruise.

Those small evidences only increased and materialized his fears, until his heart sank. He spotted Sharon's glasses. Broken on the concrete floor. With slightly trembling hands, he lowered his flashlight towards a dumpster and that's when he saw her.

Crouched between the filthy garbage dumpster and the wall, Sharon Raydor held her cellphone, firmly, as if her life depended on it. He had never seen her like this. Andy walked towards her, but abruptly stopped when he noticed she shrank at the sound of his steps.

"Hey, Sharon, it's me, Andy". He whispered and carefully set his flashlight down to not frighten her even more.

"Andy?". She looked surprised to see him there and it confused him for a second, when it hit him that maybe him coming here wasn't something Sharon really thought he would do. "Andy! You are here."

"Yes, as I said I would be." He smiled and picked his flashlight up again.

But he instantly regretted the small gesture. Now, for the first time in this whole night, he could see the extent of the situation. Sharon was far from being the firm and stoic woman, head of FID. Since she was without glasses, her eyes seemed lost at his direction. Looking closely, he could see an ugly bruise on her temple, as if someone had hit her with an object very hard. She was missing a shoe and her bare foot was at an odd angle. Her was breathing was irregular and hard. By only examination her with his bare eyes, he could tell she had a concussion.

However, that was not what made Andy's blood boil. Her clothes seemed to be ripped. Not only her arms had scratches and blood, but her legs carried most of them. The reality of what had really happened to her hit him hard and his stomach turned upside down.

Now Andy's protective instinct came full force. All his anger was converted into wiliness to help her. He closed the distance between them and approached her. Sharon whimpered in fear and tried to pull away from him pressing herself even more against the brick wall.

"It's okay, Sharon, it's me. I won't hurt you, I promise". He reassured her. "I won't let anyone hurt you".

Through Sharon's eyes, he could see she looked completely mortified and unfocused, as if her mind were in two places at once. She didn't recognize him for a moment, but when she did, her first reaction was mumble.

"Andy... I – I tried to fight". She said, reassuring herself more than him, he realized. "I tried so hard. I swear."

"I believe in you, sweetheart, I do. I would never doubt you". He spoke softly as he delicately pulled her into his arms.

At first, he wasn't sure if it was the right choice, but when he felt Sharon lean into him and began to let her emotions flow, he knew it was. That whole scenario was too much for him also, and he responded to the strength of her hold. Andy could feel her bare breasts on his chest and his anger only increased more as he was reminded once again of the barbarism that had happened in this place. He mentally promised that he would find out who had done this to her, and would make sure this bastard would pay for his actions.

Andy came back from his thoughts when he felt Sharon saying something against his chest, but it was so low he couldn't hear it. He backed away from her enough to take a look at her face. Trying not to focus on the cut over her eyebrow and the bruise on her cheek, he stared at her straight into her eyes.

"Could you repeat it, Sharon? I didn't understand".

"Don't call violent crimes." She pleaded with tears in her eyes. "Please, they will make fun of my weakness". Her voice broke as she pronounced the last word. "My life is going to be hell".

Andy stared at her puzzled for a moment and then he understood what she meant. She fully comprehended that what happened that night was a crime, but she didn't want the responsible division for that kind of crime to take over. She knew it would affect negatively her reputation at the LAPD, specially within the part that just knew shallow information and stereotypes about her. The Lieutenant knew what he had to do now. He needed to call his team to process the crime scene. According to protocol, this could be a violent crime, but it happened to a police officer which automatically made it a major crime.

Before calling anyone in, he removed his coat and wrapped it around her. She was trembling. Her body felt cold to touch and her mind wasn't really grasping the magnitude of what had happened. He could see her looking around frightened and ready to attack, in defense mode, even if she didn't have any strength left to do so. After making sure she was all protected from the cold air of LA night, he sat down on the floor beside her and took his cellphone to call Provenza, but not before pulling her delicately into his arms once again.

The Lieutenant was somehow surprised that she didn't look so frightened next to him. He could still feel she was shaking and stammered once in a while, but she was not on defense mode anymore. It was in this little moment, while he spoke to his partner, he realized how small her frame was. Sharon seemed lost between the layers of his coat evolving her. He ran his hand gently through her hair and winced when he felt a sticky texture on her scalp. It was blood.

"I said no". She spoke suddenly. "I said no, but he just said I deserved it. That I was a bitch and I deserved it."

Andy closed his eyes and tried to hold back the tears that stubbornly were fighting to escape his eyes. She seemed to be reliving the moment over and over again in her head and he knew this was breaking her heart.

Sharon continued to tell him how she tried to stop him, with lost eyes filled with tears that ran down through her cheeks. As much as Andy called her name, she was lost in the past. With her own personal nightmare, and traumatic memories.

Two hours before...

Sharon groaned in frustration as she remembered that she had to go shopping before going home if she wanted to eat dinner tonight. And to make things even worse, by the end of the day, her two cars were in the car repair shop, what just added to her bad luck.

Giving up blaming her bad day on her poor planning, she took a taxi to the LAPD and decided to go to the nearest market. She was plaining to stop by the small but charming bookstore she found in the neighborhood, to buy a book she has kept an eye at.

Grocery shopping was quick, but the line was endless. Once again in that unlucky day, she returned to internally pronounce little curses due to her lack of planning. Sometimes she didn't understand how her personal life was so messy, while on the other hand, her professional life was impeccable. When she finally left the place with two bags in her hands, the sun was already disappearing between the buildings around the market, so she hurried to get the bookstore hoping it was opened, but of course it wasn't. Just like everything in that day, mere bad luck.

"From bad to worse, congratulations Sharon". She spoke to herself. With quick steps, she made her way to the main avenue to get a cab home.

However, she could feel that something was not right. The little hairs on the back of her neck twitched when she felt someone watching her. She hated to get that kind of sensation. It always made her feel powerless.

Sharon's steps got faster, yet not fast enough. As she passed a dark alley between two buildings, she felt two hands pulling her towards the darkness.

The Captain struggled and tried to scream, but one arm held her tightly, as the other covered her mouth. She felt the tears forming in her eyes and tried once again to get away from the embrace using the techniques, she learned in police training, but nothing seemed to produce an effect.

Then abruptly she was thrown against the cold wall. Her head hit it hard on the concrete and she felt her glasses breaking in two on her face. In this moment, everything went dark for a second and she only realized that she had fallen when she was already on the floor. Sharon tried to crawl away from whoever was attacking her, but she felt a hand pulling her hair painfully and her cheek suddenly was burning. It all happened so fast, and it was so much to process in such a small fraction of time, but she could feel she had been punched on the face, without really feeling it due to the adrenaline.

When her face was pushed against the ground, she knew what was coming next. Fear took over her whole body, which converted to strength to get out of that situation. She tried to kick her attacker, but it only made him get more violent and somehow determinate to keep going. The harder she attempted to fight him, an acute pain in foot grew stronger. The same for her head and face.

Sharon felt his hand touching her and disgust consumed her. She tried to pull him away, but he held her even more closely, pressing his body on her. Screaming was out of the question; His hand got back on her mouth preventing her from even trying to yell for help. But when she heard the sound of her silk blouse being ripped and then her skirt, she closed her eyes and let the tears wash her face. Her mind went blank, and her body couldn't feel anything anymore. Whatever came next was certainly pain. She was grateful when the darkness claimed her and she passed out.

.

Time went by slowly. She opened her eyes slowly. Instantly her senses came back and her eyes started to search franticly her surroundings for any indication that the man who had just made her night a living hell was still there. He was gone. Her belongings seemed to be all there. She wasn't sure where she was or whether everything had been real or not. It was surreal to say the least, even with all material evidences so palpable to her, as the vivid and disgusting sensation of his heavy body on her back, the musky scent of liquor and the bad cologne, it all kept her reviving one of the most terrifying moments of her life.

Her foot ached as well as her whole body. She couldn't see straight without her glasses, so her sight was limited plus blurry. Forcing her eyes, she managed to see, relatively far from her, her purse. Ignoring all her pain her body was indicating, she crawled towards it. Her gun and ID were still there, as well as her money.She flinched at the realization that this was not a robbery, but an even worse crime.

When she turned her phone on, she, at first, dialed 911, but didn't dare to complete the call.Shame took hold of her, when she realized what really occurred to her. How was she going to explain that an experienced cop like herself let be dominated and assaulted like this? She should have been stronger, had fought more, she had been trained for it and yet, she felt as impotent as a child.Insecurity invaded her thoughts. Maybe she didn't even deserve the badge she carried.

As these pessimistic, self-critical thoughts filled her mind, her subconscious brought her to one of her contacts.The name Andy Flynn popped on the screen, and before she even thought of giving up, she dialed the number with trembling fingers and a tightness in her chest.

Andy impatiently checked his watch out, wondering where the hell his team was, when he heard the sound of cars approaching. Sharon also heard it and curled into his arms further. She buried her face in his neck and her body quivered. He could see and feel how her body expressed all her fears in every action.

Provenza was the first to appear. He had a flashlight in his hand and the gun on the other. As soon as he quickly analyzed everything around him, he suddenly asked everyone to stop and shouted to Buzz to get the camera. Due to the sound of every order Provenza pronounced and the low murmur, Sharon trembled unceasingly and Andy was afraid that she would collapse there.

"Andy, what happened in here? Why did you ask us–". Brenda stopped her sentence when she saw the woman in his arms, she stared directly into his eyes intrigued. "Is this...".

"Yes". He spoke and shook his head quickly. Sharon didn't need this moment to be prolonged. In the distance he heard the sirens sound and knew it was the ambulance that Provenza had asked for. "This is Captain Raydor".

"What happened?"

"I am not sure. She called me saying she was in trouble. When I arrived in here, she was in the middle of this... this bloody place. "

"Did someone beat her up?" Brenda whispered and felt the team approaching cautiously behind her.

"No, Chief. I think it was worse". His voice failed him. No one had ever seen him so shaky. "Someone attacked her and maybe...".

Everyone could see him struggling to figure out which words were better to approach what he was trying to explain, but truth to be told, he didn't want to say it himself. It would make it all too real, too tactile. But everyone already comprehended what he meant. They quickly faced each other, and the feeling was unison. They would investigate this case and make sure the bastard that did this to her would pay, and pay good. Sharon maybe be seen as the villain within the LADP building, but she was still an officer, a really great one, she was what they all considered as a family member, and above that a human being that deserve justice.

"Someone raped her and I want to get that bastard". His voice was hard and his eyes darkened with rage. Brenda noticed that she would have to keep an eye on him, she didn't to find out how far he would go if he actually managed to get to that monster on his own.

Somehow Andy got up and pulled Sharon into his arms, in a bride style way and headed for the ambulance. The others were left behind a little stunned by the scene in front of them, however not so shocked by the wounds she had had. This case became a priority for them, the real issue now was Brenda's. She was convincing Chief Pope that this case was, in fact, a Major Crime. She wanted it all to be confidential, as a woman, she knew how it would affect Sharon. And if the rest of the department found out what had happened here, the Captain might not be able to survive this blow in her career.

To be Continue...