Chapter Seven

Author's Note: Yes, it was cruel to leave it so long but I'm back with a new chapter so I hope you enjoy and as always I'm happy to answer any questions.

-SHANDY-

Sharon and Andy agreed to meet the following week for lunch. In the meantime, Rose constantly talked about Andy. Mostly about the fact that he had given her some old ball game recordings and how cool it was to watch such old games, this of course made Sharon laugh as the games were probably only 1 or 2 years older than Rose herself.

Andy sat watching his watch, he was looking forward to going to lunch with Sharon although he was somewhat nervous as he suspected Sharon would want to ask him a few questions. The day had been slow so at 13:20, he stood up from his desk.

"Er Chief, I'm going for dinner, if that's okay" he smiled at her she looked to her watch and smiled back.

"Alright, Y'all can go for lunch but I want y'all back by quarter past. This paper work wont file itself, god knows we have enough of it." Once again, she smiled before retreating to her office. Andy hastily made his way to the elevators trying to get there so he wouldn't have to endure a trip down with anyone in his team. He waited and could hear them approaching so decided to take the stairs, he could probably use the exercise. As he did he texted Sharon telling her he was approaching the landing by floor six.

Sharon smiled as she saw the text from Andy. Leaving her office, she announced she was going for lunch so, if they wished, they could go for theirs too. She made she walked at an acceptable pace to the stairwell and found Andy leaning against the rail.

"So, what do you fancy for lunch?" he asked smiling.

"I'm not bothered, as long as it's not burgers or fast food." She replied unconsciously laying a hand on her stomach.

"Sharon, you know you don't have to be on a diet, you're plenty in shape" he grinned boyishly prompting a blush from her.

"A healthy diet and a moderate amount of exercise is just the way I live, contributes to a sharper mind and longer lifespan. I plan on tormenting police officers well into my eighties" she laughed as they walked down the stairs and towards the exit.

"Well I'm sure Provenza will be delighted, he plans to die at his desk" he joked back, although Provenza was probably quite serious about the whole dying at his desk thing.

"I'm sure he won't find it funny. However, tormenting him that's another matter" he laughed again, he'd almost forgotten Sharon's humour was just as quick as his own, although probably a lot less cynical. She'd always been an optimist, maybe it tied into her marriage with Jack an ever-present hope he'd come back and be the father his kids needed.

"Tell me about it. He's too easy to wind up these days" the pair arrived at a small café which sold sandwiches and other 'lunchy' meals.

The two talked for a while about Rose and her baseball obsession. Andy found it hilarious that she treated his old recordings as if they were from the dark ages and Sharon couldn't help but laugh back.

"What was it like?" he asked suddenly "Rose's birth" he elaborated after receiving a confused look. She opened her mouth then closed it again, trying to put together a coherent experience of a time she barely remembered.

"Well, I was underweight. My doctor wasn't happy with my weight gain that is, everyone had me eating but it didn't seem to stick so by 8 months I was still kinda small compared to Emily or Ricky." He told him, she took a bite of her panni and chewed slowly giving herself some more thinking time.

"The children, plus some adult influences, decided I needed cheering up so they contacted my nephew, who played for the dodgers a little, and they got us seats in a sky box." She began

-SHANDY-

August 1999

Sharon trudged her way up the flights of stairs to the slightly private skybox she had been surprised with courtesy of her friends and family, who thought she deserved a treat. Ricky came back down to her, because that's how far behind she was.

"Mom, I've met snail's faster than you. The game is gonna start any minute now." Ricky laughed, Sharon smiled, her baby seemed heavier today and thus she had felt tired and groggy since she got up this morning.

"I'm just coming sweetie" Sharon gritted her teeth and pushed herself further up the stairs. When she got to the room there was a slightly larger chair covered in pillows so she could sit somewhat comfier than the other chairs.

The game went by and Sharon was fine, maybe distracted by the company, so she didn't feel so out of the ordinary as she had walking the stairs but during the seventh inning stretch Sharon excused herself to go to the bathroom. Emily and Ricky laughing in the background at their mom's waddle.

When Sharon got the toilets, she groaned realising it was a room with three stalls, she waddled out looking for a disabled one but alas couldn't find one. She huffed and locked herself in one of the stalls. She went by her usual bathroom habits however she noticed blood, looking down at her panties she saw the red stain, it was enough to leak through but it was enough to cover her panties. Sharon froze, this wasn't a good sign she reached for her pocket only to realise all her belongings were in her bag which was sat near her chair in the other room.

After gathering herself up she unlocked the door, thankful the room was still empty. She washed the small spots of blood from her hands then made for the door.

Pain seeped through her lower back causing her to reach for the counter. She scrunched up her face trying to combat the pain only to find her vision blurring. Sharon cried out sinking to the floor. For a few minutes, she sat on the floor praying someone else would need the toilet.

Nobody came, she was alone, she looked down to see a dark patch, she had bled more since she first discovered it. She stretched out her arm in a feeble attempt to reach the door the failed massively. Sharon groaned a dull ache in her lower abdomen, she opened her mouth to shout out but only let out a whimper, she tried again and again but each time she produced only a whimper. She slumped against the sinks she'd have to hope someone needed the bathroom soon.

Looking at her watch she could make out the numbers only slightly but it seemed she'd been away for maybe 5 minutes; someone would check on her, surely. Nobody came, tears fell down her cheeks, staying awake was becoming harder and harder for her.

Finally, someone entered, she didn't know who. They held her head and her hand gently, it must be her mother. Her vision was still blurry.

"Save my baby" she whispered, her free hand curling around her stomach.

"Save my baby" she whispered, it soon became a chant, the person claimed they didn't understand. "Not me, save baby" she tried to elaborate then the world went black.

-SHANDY-

"I woke up two days later, mom on one side, dad the other and Emily and Ricky asleep near the foot of my bed" Sharon finished her story.

"What had happened?" Andy asked concerned, his hand finding hers briefly.

"Well, when I got pregnant my body was actually starting the menopause process, so there were some hormone imbalances, I don't remember, I just remember being told I'd had two seizures, a partial hysterectomy due to unforeseen complications in my emergency C-section" She informed him looking away somewhat ashamed. "Rose was 3lbs 5oz, whereas Ricky had been 7lbs 8oz and Emily was 6lbs 6oz. She stayed in her incubator for so long, she had trouble with her breathing and keeping her temperature." Sharon continued.

"It sounds like a difficult time…you weren't lonely or anything" He reached for her hand again, maybe if he had stayed around she might have trusted him and told him and it could have changed everything.

"It was but my family were so kind and good to me. The church was also a huge help, especially with childcare." She smiled sadly.

"That's good then" he replied awkwardly, a nervous laughter bubbled between them both.

"So, I have a question for you" She sipped her water, "Why did you go? Was it Emily? Was it me?" she continued to ask, tears in her eyes.

"No, no, I left because I…I didn't, couldn't…I left because I was a wreck, built up guilt and I needed space." He replied with hesitation and some lack of words.

"That's it. Emily was heartbroken, you were her only confidant for so long and then you just stopped. Why?" Sharon's anger rose.

"Sharon, I can't talk about that, not right now anyway." He mumbled looking away from her.

"Fine" she replied flatly

"So," Andy elongated the word awkwardly. "What was Rose like as a kid, younger than she is now?" He asked a hopeful look back on his face.

"Well, she was the kid that wanted to do everything. She wanted to swim at two and she tried gymnastics, tap dance, trampolining, boxing and of course baseball. If there was a sport she wanted to try it." Sharon smiled fondly.

"Ha, I was like that. Ma could barely keep up most days, what about track?" He asked, laughing at the similarities.

"She enjoys it but she's always been a water baby. There are some precautions she has to take but she understands that and tries to let it burden her and her day to day life" She happily chatted about her daughter. Andy looked at his watch and noticed they should probably be heading back. He called for the bill and insisted he pay, which was not a popular idea.

"Sharon, please, just let me pay" he held is hand out to block her and paid before she could stop him. They exited the restaurant.

"I'd say goodbye but we're going the same way. What else do you want to know about Rose?" She commented as they headed towards the LAPD headquarters.

"What was her first word?"

"Bang, she was 10 months. I had dropped something and she shouted at me." Sharon told him, a nostalgic gleam in her eye.

"What about her first steps?" he continued eagerly

"14 months, she struggled with walking but when she got it there was no stopping her. About 3 months after her 2nd birthday she was trying to get in the water. She would sit beside it and try to touch it; completely mesmerised as her hand went under the surface" Sharon laughed at the memory of her daughter and their pool. "I'm sorry, I get carried away sometimes" she blushed a little.

"I don't mind, kids are fun to talk about, especially when they do silly things. What was her temper like?" He asked, a little more nervously this time. It was no secret that he had a temper and he knew that we he was a kid his ma had had a handful with himself and his older brother Tony. He hoped Sharon was better at handling it.

"They were difficult, they'd often be triggers, particularly between the ages of 5 & 9, those were the worst. She'd throw her tantrum, as she tried to calm she'd get hot and try to undress only to stiffen and well, you know, have a seizure." Sharon recalled to him, he could tell she found it difficult, he couldn't imagine having to watch your child have a seizure and not be able to stop or help.

"I'm sorry" he apologised suddenly.

"Why? My family is Irish, my mother was born in Ireland. I had a temper when I was that age, I just learnt to overcome it. Plus, my father was in the military and you did not want to be on the wrong side of him" She admitted, shocked that he thought Rose's temperament was solely his fault.

They reached the building and in the elevator pressed the appropriate buttons for floors 6 and 9 respectively. Sharon and Andy stood side by side continuing to catch each other up, stories of Emily, Rose and Ricky.

Upon reaching floor 6, Sharon exited quickly and thanked him for lunch. Andy shook his head, why was he surprised they were back to Captain mode.

Sharon tried to keep an acceptable pace as she headed for her office. When she reached, it she closed the blinds locked the door and sat in her chair. She closed her eyes and remembered Rose's labour.

August 1999

It was becoming harder to stay awake, her watch was blurry but she guessed she'd been away for over 5 minutes, someone would come looking for her. The door opened.

She couldn't see but she could smell her mother's perfume, a scent she'd grown up with. Her mom held her head and took her hand.

"Save her. Save my baby" Sharon whispered, squeezing out her words as her breathing.

"Honey what you talking about?" her mother asked, concern evident in her voice. As pain shot through her lower half Sharon cried out. She looked at her mom again.

"Andy" she breathed out, with what she believed to be her last breath. She had to let someone know.

-SHANDY-

Sharon let out a deep sigh. She'd lied again, she just hoped he couldn't tell. Everything she'd said was true but she had just neglected to tell him she had whispered his name because in that moment the fear of dying was real.

That wasn't truly lying, was it?

-SHANDY-

Author's Note: Oh such a stubborn pair. We've reached the ned of another chapter, I hope you liked it, I know someone wanted to know a little about Rose's birth, I also hope that the medical explanation was plausible. I did go into some research I just hope I understood it correctly.

Thank You for reading

Preview: "Rose got up and curled into her mother's side taking deep breaths, when she looked up Sharon gasped, her 11-year-old daughter's face was a mess."