Five weeks.
Five weeks since all of their lives changed in one brief moment.
The first week was the worst. No one ate, no one slept. Well, except for Rusty, just as he said to Sharon that first night in her office; he would not allow Stroh to escape and then leave him locked up. When he said he wouldn't do it, he meant it. He absolutely refused any type of security detail. So he went to college, he played chess and he lived his life just the way he wanted to.
Sharon. Sharon on the other hand was teetering on the brink of exhaustion and cold hard fury. Her phone rarely left her hand. She felt it was her one and only lifeline to Rusty. On the third day, Andy knew if he didn't do something she was going to make herself sick. What he really wanted to do was to take her in his arms and tell her how much he really loves her and promise her that one day soon everything would be okay. But he knew that was a promise that none of them could keep. He found her late that night sitting on the floor behind her desk, just staring into space. Quietly, he sat down across from her, taking her hands in his and pleaded with her to talk to him, but she couldn't get the words to come. After the longest 5 minutes of his life, her tears finally began to fall and she let go of all the pain and fury she had been holding in. He was right there for her. He held her tightly in his arms as she clung to him, her tears saturating his pale yellow shirt. Her muffled sobs splintering his heart into tiny shards. Neither was aware of how much time had passed until Provenza quietly knocked on her door.
Provenza gently helped Andy get the Captain to her feet. She sat motionless in her desk chair while Andy and Provenza gathered their things so that Andy could take her home. Andy held on to her left side and Provenza walked beside her as they made their way down to the parking garage. Because of the late hour, luckily they were able to get to his car without anyone seeing them. Provenza was worried. The Captain had not uttered one single word since he entered her office. He opened the passenger side door so Andy could help her get in and waited while Andy got her seat belt fastened. Closing the door, Andy looked worriedly at Provenza. "I'll call you when I get her settled in at home," he said nodding to his partner and best friend.
She finally slept during the 20 minute drive to her condo, his hand never leaving hers. Andy hated to wake her, but he had to get her upstairs. She clung to him in the elevator still not saying anything, once to her floor; he dug her keys out of her purse and steered her into the condo. They were both surprised to find Rusty in the living room watching TV at this late hour. He quickly got up and came to them asking if Sharon was ok. Finally she spoke, barely a whisper "I'm fine honey just really tired. Andy is just helping me get settled in. Go to sleep. I'm fine, really. I promise." Andy looked at Rusty and gave him a gentle squeeze to his shoulder as he followed Sharon to her room.
Andy had never been in her bedroom before, but he had imagined many times what it looked like and he wasn't disappointed. The rich wood and beautiful fabrics with soft green hues reminded him of something he has seen at the Pottery Barn. The room was also much bigger than he had imagined. The queen size bed was adorned with numerous throw pillows and had a beautifully upholstered bench running the full length of the foot of bed. Sharon sat on the bench and removed her shoes and her jacket. Andy stood awkwardly by the door, not really sure of what to do. "Well, I guess now that your home ok, I need to go. But if you need me for anything, I'm always here for you. You know you can call me anytime."
"Andy" she softly said looking up from where she was sitting. "I… I… Would you…would you like to stay?"
He stared at her, not believing he was hearing her right, "Sharon, are you sure? I… I mean, yes of course but only if you are sure."
Standing, she walks toward him. Suddenly he is aware of how much smaller she seems without her heels on. She slides her arms around his waist and rests her head against his chest. "I'm sure. I've wanted this for a long time. It just took me hitting rock bottom to figure it out. I'm scared, Andy. Scared to let myself feel and scared that I won't be what you need. I…I can't control the…way I feel about you…I can't control my fear for…Rusty…I…I can't control…my…my hate for Stroh…and all…all of that scares me."
"Sharon," he whispers, his heart swelling with happiness and also worry for her.
"Andy, don't talk. We have plenty of time for that."
Tentatively, she reaches up, gently cupping his face with her hands and rising to her tip toes, she kisses him gently on the lips. He reaches down and easily lifts her, her legs snaking around his waist and her arms holding tightly to his neck. He slowly walks over to her bed and sits with her on his lap. He looks at her, deeply starring into to her exhausted emerald eyes. It's his turn to cup her face and trace the outline of her jaw. He pulls her mouth to him, as his hands move into her hair. He has dreamed about his hands in her hair so many times and the reality is even better. They kiss deeply, their tongues dancing together for a few more minutes before he pulls himself away. He knows they need to stop. He wants this, has dreamed so many times about having her but he is not going to take advantage of her exhaustion and fragility. Reading his thoughts, she slides back off his lap and looks at him. "I meant it when I asked you to stay." He nods his consent with a soft smile. She turns and goes into her closet, returning with a pair of sweat pants. "Ricky left these when he was here over Christmas. The bathroom is thru that door. I'm going to check on Rusty and then I will be back," she says kissing him gently, before turning to leave the room.
Coming back a few minutes later she finds him stretched out on the left side of her bed, covers pulled back. The sight makes her chuckle lightly. She closes the door and makes her way into the bathroom. When she returns, her natural beauty takes his breath away. She stands beside the bed in the cutest green tank top and matching cropped pajama bottoms with pale yellow polka dots, no make-up, hair bushed out and glasses off. "You're stunning," he whispers. "You're blind, she jokes. She snuggles into his side, her hand gently resting on his stomach. "Andy, thank you for always being here for me," she says snuggling even closer. Pulling her tightly to him, they both close their eyes and drift off into much needed sleep.
