Thanks everyone for the comments! I have one more part after this to wrap up everything. Happy New Year!

Part VIII

The Weekend

Working for the LAPD was a significant part of Sharon's life, but the weekends were absolutely vital to her sanity. Weekends gave her a few precious hours when she owed no responsibility to the Major Crimes department. Without a case to worry over, she was free to spend the time as she pleased. After her kids moved out, Sharon keep to her early morning routine and spent the day relaxing, often doing as little as possible. Usually she worked her way through a good book or went out for a jog. In the evenings, she cooked for hours, trying out new recipes and a new bottle of wine. The time was rejuvenating, mentally preparing her for another week of intense investigations.

After Rusty moved in, Sharon almost forgot what it was like to spend her free time with another person, especially with an ungrateful teenager. Her time reading or working out was replaced with taking Rusty to the park to play chess or going to see a movie she never heard of. She continued to spend her evenings cooking, but accommodated to have Rusty as her sous chef. Eventually he took over the cooking all together, which allowed Sharon some time to herself again. Over time, the whiny teenager was replaced with a young man and Sharon adjusted to sharing the weekends with Rusty, she even began to enjoy it.

The most intriguing adjustment to her weekends was after Andy moved in. When it was just her and Rusty, Sharon still kept to her morning routine. Rusty usually slept in and had no reason to disturb her in the morning. Andy, on the other hand, gave Sharon every reason to completely ignore her usual routine. Knowing neither of them had any urgency to be up, she often curled up next to him, resting her head on his chest. She liked to listen to his heart beat as he continued to sleep. Eventually, Andy would wake up and shower her with affection; pressing his lips against her hair and running his hands all over her body. There was something absolutely irresistible about this time spent together; not having to care about anything else except each other.

This weekend, as Sharon began to wake up, she rolled over and scooted closer to Andy's side of the bed. However, she was not greeted by his soft pajamas or warm exterior. Sharon opened her eyes and found that she was alone; his side of the bed was empty and cold. She rubbed her eyes and looked over at the alarm clock; six AM. It was a bit early for him to be awake, especially on a Saturday. Sometimes he got up earlier to work out, but not until after their usual morning affections. Sharon slowly sat up, still not fully awake, and picked up her cell phone. No new texts or notifications. This was not entirely expected; lately Andy had been in the habit of not notifying her. However, this was different. Sharon could not pinpoint why, but she felt something was wrong. She climbed out of bed, tossed on her robe, then left the for the living room. Empty. The kitchen was empty too. However, she did note Andy's keys and jacket were missing from their usual location.

"Damn it, Andy." Sharon cursed and pulled out her phone again. She tapped on Andy's name and held the phone to her ear.

"This is Andy Flynn, I can't come to the phone right now, but –" Sharon cursed again when she heard his voicemail. She looked over her contacts and made another phone call.

"It's early Commander," Provenza sounded tired. Sharon wondered if she woke him up. "I'm assuming this isn't about a murder, since you're supposed to be home and resting."

"I, uh," Sharon cleared her throat and tried to think of a quick response. Listening to his tone, it was clear she had woken him; the man was grumpier than his usual self. "No, Lieutenant. I was, well I thought-is Andy with you?" Sharon shook her head, feeling foolish for even calling him.

"The only other person with me is my wife, and I hope to keep it that way." Provenza spoke slowly, but his tone lightened up.

"Right, right," Sharon let out an awkward laugh. "Sorry to disturb you. Enjoy your weekend, Louie."

"Same to you, but Sharon," Provenza paused to clear his throat, "if you don't see him in a couple hours, call me again."

"Will do." Sharon thanked him, then hung up. She paced the entry way, trying to decide her next move. There were several reasons for Andy to not be in bed and most likely he was perfectly fine. Perhaps he felt a burst of energy and went for a jog. Then again, it was very early and he had several health scares before. Whatever he was up to, they would indeed be discussing the importance of notifying her before running off at ungodly hours.

"Mom?" Rusty yawned as he exited his bedroom and shuffled towards her. "I thought I heard you." She stopped pacing and faced her son.

"Did I wake you?" Sharon softened her demeanor. She tried to smile, but her mind was elsewhere.

"Is something wrong?"

"What? No, nothing's wrong." It was her tone that caused Rusty to raise an eyebrow. Sharon always used a slightly higher pitch when she was lying to her children and he saw right through it. "Okay. I didn't hear Andy get up this morning and he's not answering his phone."

"Oh, that's easy." Rusty pulled out his own cell phone and tapped the screen with his thumbs. "We shared locations on our iphones. If he has his cell, I can see where he is."

"Really?" Sharon came around and watched the screen over Rusty's shoulder. "Can you see my phone?"

"Yeah, I did this like months ago." Rusty shook his head and pointed at the screen. "See that's you and me." Sharon looked closer and saw two icons on a map, indicating they were at the address of Sharon's building.

"And Andy's phone?" She continued to watch as Rusty adjusted the map to show Andy's location. They both waited quietly as it loaded, then his icon appeared on the screen.

"Oh he's ah-" Rusty tried to hide the screen from Sharon, but it was too late. She took it from him and read the location one more time.

"The hospital?" she refreshed the map, not wanting to believe what it was telling her. However, when it reloaded, the location was very clear. Andy, or at least his cell phone, was at the closest hospital. Sharon nodded and handed Rusty his phone back. She needed to be stay clear headed, not make any irrational decisions. "I'm going to the hospital."

"Wait, Mom." Rusty looked down at his cell. "Let me go."

"No, Rusty-"

"It could be nothing. And you're supposed to take it easy." Rusty placed his arms on Sharon's shoulders. It felt strange, taking orders from her son. Suddenly he was the one acting like the parent. "Let me go."

"Okay," Sharon nodded and pulled him into a hug. She would admit, the sudden rush of events and information this early in the morning drained her of what little energy she had. Sharon let go of her son and stepped back. "You call me the second you get to the hospital and tell me exactly what happened."

"I will," Rusty nodded and left to get dressed. Even after Rusty left for the hospital, Sharon continued to pace the living room. Occasionally she called Andy's cell, only to hang up when his voicemail started. Sharon decided to get dressed herself, in case of the worst and she would also need to go to the hospital. She could also use the distraction.

Sharon tossed the phone on her bed and showered as quickly as possible. As she continued to get ready, she looked over at the phone in case Rusty called or left her a message. After what felt like ages, Sharon heard the phone vibrate while she buttoned up her blouse. She looked over the bed to read Rusty's text: 'On our way home.'

That was it. No "everything's fine" or "All's good." Yes, they would indeed be having a family discussion on when and how to properly notify one another. At least she knew it was not serious enough for Andy to remain at the hospital. Sharon sat on the bed and took in a deep breath. Still not entirely recovered from the flu, her body ached with exhaustion. She tried to stay calm, but her nerves were on edge. She ignored her fatigue once more and continued getting ready. Just as she finished making the bed, she heard the door to her condo open and the two men conversing. Without a second thought, Sharon left the bedroom and rushed to the door. She took no time to survey his condition or consider the consequences; the urge to hug Andy preceded all her rational.

"H-hey," was all Andy could get out before she pulled him tightly into her arms. Feeling him pressed against her, his heart beating, it finally brought the relief she needed all morning. He was okay. Andy hesitated, but followed Sharon's actions and wrapped his arms around her. She stayed like this for some time, taking in every ounce of his warmth, enjoying the smell of his familiar cologne. Then again, it seemed odd that he was wearing cologne. Sharon pulled away to survey her fiancé. It was not what she expected. Andy was wearing his suit and tie. She was pretty sure he showered too. This was not exactly what someone would look like if they had to rush to the hospital.

"What happened?" Sharon stepped back and folded her arms. She suspected his sudden disappearance had nothing to do with his personal health at all, which meant her morning folly was completely avoidable.

"Don't be-" Andy stopped himself and took a breath. His hesitation only further confirmed her suspicions and her aggravation. Sharon also noted Rusty dropped whatever he was doing and quickly retreated back to his bedroom. "I got a call from the hospital. Our murder wasn't doing so well. He had a bad infection and-" Andy paused again. "Anyway, we needed his confession on tape in case he didn't make it. So, I called Buzz and went to the hospital. I didn't want to bother you."

"Bother me?" Sharon kept her voice low. She was furious. Not just furious, disappointed. "If you think-" She stopped mid-sentence, distracted by a strange sensation run through her body. Her vision blurred, then turned black, forcing Sharon to lose her balance. However just as quickly as the episode came, it went away. She found her footing again, but not before Andy had his arms around her. Sharon blinked a few times; her vision was back to normal. "I'm fine."

"Let's sit down," he kept his arm around her waist and guided Sharon to the couch. She sat down next to him and straightened herself out.

"I'm fine," she repeated, seeing his concerned expression. "That flu took all my energy," Sharon stopped herself, she needed to stay focused. "And this morning certainly didn't help."

"Look," Andy shook his head and leaned back against the couch, "I thought I'd be back before you woke up. It never occurred to me you'd be worried." He forced an awkward laugh, "actually, I was a bit surprised when I saw the kid in the lobby this morning."

"I thought something happened, I thought-" Sharon cleared her throat and took Andy's hands into hers. "Please, next time, bother me."

"I will," he squeezed her hand reassuringly. Sharon softened her expression and came closer to hug him again. He gladly accepted. She leaned against his shoulder and cleared her mind of any remaining concerns. He was home and he was safe. Sharon closed her eyes and felt the urge to fall asleep just like this, wrapped securely in his arms.

"Coast clear?" Rusty shouted from the hallway, causing Sharon to open her eyes again. She pulled away from Andy just as Rusty came into view. "Are you guys good? Because I'm starving."

"I think I survived," Andy gave Sharon a look, then left her for the kitchen. "I'll make breakfast."

"Ugh," Rusty shook his head while Andy's back was turned.

"Sounds lovely," She spoke in Andy's direction, but waved a figure at Rusty, warning him to tread lightly. Andy's cooking followed the strict guidelines of his diet and the health benefits often outweighed taste.

"Yeah, sure." Rusty plopped on the couch next to his mother. "Lovely." He muttered and turned his attention to his cell phone.

To all of their satisfaction, the rest of the day went rather uneventful. Andy's breakfast was okay and, thankfully, Sharon only had to eat a few bites since her appetite had not fully returned. Rusty ate his portion rather quickly, then left to spend the day studying at the library. Sharon lounged around the condo, reading the rest of her novel. Andy on the other hand kept himself busy doing chores around the apartment, probably still guilty from this morning's misunderstanding. By lunch, however, he was able to pull Sharon back into bed to catch up on a few missed hours of sleep. She needed very little persuading.

This time when Sharon woke up from her nap, Andy was in bed, still fast asleep. She curled up next to him and rested her head against his chest. Sharon closed her eyes again and listened to him breath slowly. It was not long until Andy woke up and pulled Sharon closer to him. He planted kisses on her forehead, checks, and lips, repeatedly reminding her how much he loved her. Occasionally she ran her hands through his hair and rolled her eyes each time he said how beautiful she looked. However, this reaction seemed to only make Andy want to prove it to her even more. They stayed in bed for at least another hour, taking their time to share their affections. At that moment, they had no other responsibilities or cares in the world. There were no criminals to run after or flu to get in the way. No misunderstandings or concerns. This was the most relaxed and happiest they had both been all week, and neither were in a rush for it to end.