This chapter has a lot going on, but I promise it will get better as the story goes on. Please continue to R&R.

Chapter 2 A Long Ride Home

Sharon's flight landed in Salt Lake City just a few minutes after 7:00 am. She was on her way to pick up her rental car when she remembered the one request Andy made and so she sent him a quick text , Hi. My flight just got in. I know I wasn't able to say it before, but thank you for taking Rusty. I know that I don't have to worry about him when he is with you. Please tell Rusty I will talk to him tonight.

Pulling into her parent's driveway, she started to feel like she was going to be sick. As if not wanting anyone to hear her, she quietly scolds herself "Sharon Raydor now is not the time to fall apart. Clear you mind and focus on your family. You can fall apart once everything has been taken care of." She opens the car door and takes a deep breath trying to calm herself.

Finding the spot that her parents have always kept the spare key she says, "Some things never change". Key in hand, she unlocks the front door. She started with the family room, it was empty. Moving towards the kitchen, she heard some movement upstairs. She made her way up to her parent's bedroom to find her father sitting in a chair by her mother's bed. He got up as quick as he could and wrapped his arms around her.

In a heartbreaking whisper Sharon heard, "She hasn't been a sleep for long. Let's go down stairs and talk so we don't wake her."

Turning away from the bed, Sharon noticed someone curled up to her mother's side. Moving closer she gasped and covered her mouth, "It's Maddie!" She couldn't fight the tears back any longer. Unable to move from the side of the bed she watched her sister's daughter sleeping peacefully. Seeing Maddie lying there, she had to fight the urge to take the little girl in her arms and never let her go.

Entering the kitchen Bob suddenly stopped and turned to Sharon. "I'm sorry honey, I should have told you about Maddie. I just, I just couldn't" was all Bob was able to manage to get out before he started sobbing.

Until this very moment, Sharon had never seen her father cry. Knowing that she couldn't do anything to ease his pain she just stood there in held him. "It's ok, I'm here now Dad. I'm here". Sharon wasn't sure how long they had been standing there when she heard her father mumbling something.

"Sharon I need you to do something for me. The officer in charge said that someone needed to, someone needed to identify them. I just can't do it." Trying not to let her emotions show in her voice, she asked her father for the officer's number.

Sargent Todd Quinn the officer in charge of accident agreed to meet with Sharon at the Salt Lake City M.E. office at 10:00 am. She didn't want to do the identification, but she knew there was no point in prolonging the inevitable. At least this would give her enough time to shower and have some coffee before she would need to leave.

Standing in the shower Sharon's mind wondered off to the Barlow family. It had been just a few weeks ago, that she had to break the news to Mr. and Mrs. Barlow that they were only able to save one of their children. At the time, all she could think about was her two children and Rusty. It would kill
her if anything had happened to any of them. Standing there with the hot water beating down on her skin Sharon allowed herself a few minutes to morn her sister.

Arriving promptly at 10:00, Sharon walked up to the front desk and asked for Sargent Quinn. The Sargent was sure she would have questions for him, so they quickly moved into an empty office.

Sargent Quinn explained that her sister's family had been traveling south bound on highway 415 when a deer ran out in front of the car causing the driver to lose control. The car went down a small hill and smashed into a few trees that line the bottom of the hill. The impacted killed her sister and brother in law instantly, but thankfully Maddie had only ended up with a broken arm and some stitches on her forehead.

The next few days leading up to the funerals seemed to be a blur for the entire family. After the services, everyone gathered at the Thomas house. Bob and Vivian sat together on the couch with Maddie as visitors stopped by to give their condolences. Sharon tried to keep everything in order; she knew that keeping busy was the only way she was going to make it through this day. She told her children she needed to get some fresh air and asked them to keep an eye on their grandparents for a few minutes.

Sharon was sitting on the porch swing out back when she felt a hand lightly squeeze her shoulder. She turned quickly to see Rusty standing there. She thought for a moment that she was dreaming, surely Andy would have told her that they were coming. When she heard Rusty say "Hey….", she knew it wasn't a dream. She got to her feet quickly and hugged him. It wasn't until she pulled back from Rusty that she saw it wasn't just Rusty and Andy that came, the entire squad was there. Never in her life had a group of people touched her heart the way HER squad did at that very moment. Tears filled her eyes as she walked around and hugged each of them. Once she had made her way around the circle, she told everyone to go in and eat. As the group went inside Andy slipped his hand into hers and asked her to talk with him for a minute.

Once it was just the two of them Andy motioned for her to sit down on the swing. They sat there for a moment in complete silence before Andy finally spoke. "I'm sorry, I should have told you that we were coming. When I told Provenza I was going to need off to bring Rusty he put all of this together. I know it's hard to believe sometimes, but he really does have a heart in there somewhere."

That last comment made Sharon laugh for the first time in days. She had noticed over the last few days that every time she talked with Andy she felt a little calmer afterwards. She wasn't sure when the transformation from Lt. Flynn to just Andy her friend had taken place. At this moment she didn't really care, she was just happy he was there.

Andy could see that she was struggling to keep her emotions at bay, so he slid over and pulled her into his arms. He held her as tight as he could while she finally let everything go. After a short while, he could feel her starting to relax and slowly she started to calm down.

Trying not to look up at him, in a low voice Sharon spoke "Andy I need to stay for a few more days. My sister's attorney contacted us yesterday morning and wants to go over her will Friday morning. You have done so much for me, I hate to ask…"

"You don't have to ask. Rusty can stay with me until you get everything taken care of." Nudging her side a little he said, "Don't tell him, but it has been kind of nice having him around."

When Friday morning finally came around the family gather in Mr. Stewarts office for the reading of the will. "I know that this is a very difficult time for you and so I will try to keep this as short as possible. My main concern here today is representing Greg and Emily's wishes in regards to Maddie. As you all know Greg was an only child and both of his parents are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Greg and Emily both knew how much you love your granddaughter however, their last wishes was that Sharon become Maddie's legal guardian." Mr. Stewart's words cut through Sharon like a knife.

Sharon immediately turned to her mother. The last thing Sharon wanted to do was cause her parents more pain, but to her surprise, her mother didn't look upset. Instead, Vivian offered Sharon a weak smile. As Mr. Stewart wrapped everything up, he had mentioned that he had one last thing for the family. Emily had left a note for her parents, Sharon, and Maddie.

Sharon drove her parents back to their house in silence. When they got out of the car, Vivian asked "Sharon to sit with her outside for a moment. Uncertain of what her mother was going to say she sat down with her on the front porch. The two women sat in silence until Vivian was ready to talk. Sharon you have held this family together this past week. I know it has been hard on you and I'm sorry that you had handled everything. Look at me Sharon. I'm not upset that Emily wanted you to take Maddie. I know that you and Emily drifted apart over the years but she never stopped loving you. We both know why she wants you to have Maddie and as much as I love that child, I understand why she belongs with you."