A triple homicide greeted Sharon hours before she had planned to be up. She was still half asleep after three hours and two cups of coffee when they finally returned to the Murder Room and she managed to sit down in her office. Her door was parted open so she could hear any updates from her team, but it seemed rather quiet out there as they researched.

She sighed as she leaned against her desk and booted up her computer, her eyes slipping closed briefly. She heard her computer's startup chime and forced her eyes open so she could type in her password. As the desktop loaded, her phone chimed from her purse and she let out a soft groan. She contemplated ignoring the call, but grabbed her phone anyway and held it up to her ear.

"Captain Raydor," she murmured, leaning back in her chair and crossing one leg over the other knee. She adjusted her skirt and watched the Murder Room.

"Sharon! Good morning; I hope I didn't wake you." Sharon huffed softly at the sound of her ex-husband's voice and shook her head a little.

"No, I'm awake. What is it?" She pursed her lips and adjusted her hold on her phone as she stood up. Any conversation with Jack wasn't one she wanted her subordinates—especially Andy—hearing. She shut her door and left the blinds open before she returned to her seat and sighed.

"You sound tired," Jack commented as she settled back down and she rolled her eyes.

"I am," she admitted after a moment. "Jack, I'm working a triple homicide right now. Did you need something?" She could visualize his expression in her head without a second thought and tried to shake it away.

"Don't you know what today is?" Jack sounded hurt, which wasn't hard for him to do.

Sharon sighed and closed her eyes, mentally ticking the dates off. It wasn't Ricky's or Emily's birthday. Or hers. It wasn't Rusty's or his. She wrinkled her nose and sighed again before it registered. "Jack…"

"Happy anniversary, Sharon!"

"Jack…" she repeated, her head resting in her free hand. "It's not…" She struggled with words for a moment, unsure of what to say. "We're not married anymore."

"So we're not allowed to celebrate? C'mon! Let me take you out to dinner."

"You're drunk, Jack. No." She kept her voice calm, but her head was whirling, jumping between her ex and her case.

"Aw, Sharon."

"No, Jack. Goodbye." She hung up without a second thought and dropped her phone to the desk with a dull thump. It rang again, but she ignored it and flipped the sound off so she wouldn't have to hear it.

She leaned against her desk and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself before she left her office. When she felt like she had shoved Jack away far enough, she walked out and demanded an update. Andy gave her a curious look, but said nothing.

Jack called her half a dozen times throughout the day, his messages gradually growing less and less coherent. Eventually, Sharon shut her phone off and did everything she could to ignore the effect both the date and her ex had on her so she could solve this case. Somehow, they got a lucky break and their new FBI liaison swooped in to take the case to the federal courts. No one complained and every hurried out of the office before another murder could come in.

Sharon's office door was wide opened as she gathered her purse and shrugged her blazer back on, sighing as she slid her phone into the pocket. It was still off and she didn't dare turn it on. Rusty hadn't called anyone else, so she knew that Jack hadn't shown up at home. Surely he wasn't that stupid.

"Sharon?" She looked up quickly at her name and let out a short breath when she saw Andy peeking into her office.

"I thought you left with Provenza," she managed after a moment, her eyebrow arching up a little. The lieutenant shook his head and walked in, his arms loosely crossed over his chest.

"No, he's taking Patrice out for dinner so he left in a hurry," he explained, his dark eyes scanning over her. "Are you okay?"

Sharon slung her purse over her shoulder and adjusted her glasses, avoiding his gaze and hoping he wouldn't notice. "Tired," she answered quickly. "It's been a long day."

"Yeah, I know," he huffed, leaning against the doorframe. She felt his gaze still on her and she closed her eyes briefly.

"Well, I'm headed out. Have a good night, Andy." She reluctantly looked at him, unable to get through her doorway with him standing right here.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong." His voice was soft, but she knew the look on his face. Damn him for knowing her so well.

"I want to go home."

"Alright, let's go."

She shook her head slightly and took a deep breath, her eyes slowly searching his face for any sign that he would back down. "Rusty's home. I'd rather…" She licked her lips and suddenly Andy was in front of her, his hands entrapping hers and squeezing softly.

"He called me earlier because yours went to voicemail. Said he was going to be out with Gus. I figured you wouldn't mind and said I'd pass the message along. So, no, he's not home." He gave her a small smile and Sharon's brow furrowed as she looked up at him.

"You're not going to drop this?" she finally asked.

"Not until I know you're okay," he murmured. She nodded once before she agreed quietly. Andy immediately stepped aside and kept his grip on her hand as he led her from the office.

They drove in their separate cars and walked up to her condo together in relative silence. She unlocked the door and immediately dropped her purse, heels, and keys by the door. She shrugged out of her blazer and Andy hung it up with her coat before he nudged her toward the couch. She obeyed after a moment and settled in with her feet stretched out toward the coffee table.

"Tea or wine?" he asked her from the kitchen. She thought about Jack's increasing state of drunkenness and shook her head and she looked back at him.

"Tea, please." She thought about turning her phone on, but knew it wouldn't be safe until tomorrow. Then, she'd have to deal with his hungover apologies.

"Here you go." Andy offered her the steaming mug and she accepted it, her hands curling around the warm ceramic. He settled next to her with his arm across the couch behind her. She settled into his side after a moment, her head resting against his shoulder. "Will you talk to me now?"

She swallowed and took a small sip of tea before she set it on the coffee table and tucked her legs under herself. Andy's arm curled around her and held her close, knowing she'd open up when she was ready.

"It's my anniversary," she finally sighed. Her eyes slid closed and she wrinkled her nose. "July 14th is when I married Jack some thirty years ago." She huffed and shook her head, barely able to believe that it had been so long ago. Sometimes it felt like mere months. With Andy by her side, it felt like centuries ago.

"Something tells me there's more to it than just that. You seemed fine at the crime scene." Andy's fingers started playing with her hair and she let out a soft hum despite herself.

"I forgot." She laughed slightly and tilted her head to look up at him. "After so many years of not celebrating, I just didn't remember. Being divorced, I suppose it doesn't matter…" She hesitated and bit her lip. "Jack called me. Drunk. Wanted to take me to dinner and celebrate."

Andy shook his head a little and she snuggled closer into his side. "That's why your phone was off." She nodded and he grimaced. "How many times did he call you?"

"Four or five times before I shut my phone off. I haven't turned it on yet," she admitted after a brief hesitation. "I'm sure he's drunk himself into a stupor by now; this isn't the first time he's called me drunk on our anniversary. I don't even like calling it that. We have nothing to celebrate."

"That date once held importance, Sharon, and it's not just gonna go away." He shrugged a little and kissed her cheek. "Trust me, I still think about March 22nd until I realize it." She shifted so she could rest her hand on his thigh, her finger absently stroking his slacks. "He won't try anything, will he?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if he shows up at work tomorrow to apologize, or sends flowers, but he's not dangerous," she answered immediately. "Jack may be a drunk and a gambler and a terrible father, but he's not abusive."

"It sounds like we should give you something else to remember today by then." Andy gave her a small grin and she shook her head slightly.

"Not tonight. Not after dealing with three murders and Jack." She wrinkled her nose and smiled at him apologetically, but it looked like more of a grimace. "I'm sorry…"

"Hey, it's fine. Just let me know what you need."

"Just you, please."

Andy tilted her head up and kissed her softly. "I'm right here. Do you want to at least lay down? You've got to be exhausted." She huffed and rubbed at her eyes.

"You just want to get me in bed," she halfheartedly teased.

"Damn, I've been found out." He gave her a small grin and helped her up from the couch. She grabbed her tea and gulped it down before she left it in the dishwasher and followed her better half into the bedroom.

Andy shrugged out of his clothes and crawled beneath the sheets in his boxers, settling on his back to watch Sharon change. She slipped into sweatpants and a loose shirt before she settled beneath him. He wrapped an arm around her and held her to his chest, his fingers spreading out over her stomach. She turned the lights out and dropped her glasses on the nightstand before she settled back down, her body slowly relaxing.

"Don't wake me if there's a case," she mumbled, the sheets rustling as she shifted her legs and Andy curled his legs behind hers. "Wake me if Rusty calls."

"Of course. Goodnight, hon." He smiled and pressed a kiss to her hair, amazed to have such an incredible woman in his arms. Sure, they'd both been through hell and back, but they were here now and he didn't want to be anywhere else.

"Night, Andy," she mumbled, her words distorted by a loud yawn. "Wake me—"

"If Rusty calls," he finished for her. "Go to sleep."

It was rare for Sharon to fall asleep first, but he was relieved when he felt her breathing even out and her body relax completely against him. He tightened his arm a little and watched her in the darkness, wishing he could wipe away the mess of her drunk ex. He was beginning to realize exactly what he had put his own ex-wife through and was beyond grateful that he had a chance to make up for all of that, to be a better person than Jackson Raydor was to Sharon.