A/N: I've taken waaaay too long to update this. Sorry. I was stuck writing this chapter for a good month and a half. Hopefully the amount of super fluff makes up for that :)

~oOo~

"No, Chief, I don't think you understand." I shake my head, my gaze falling to the empty cardboard box in my hands before I lift my eyes to meet his again, "I am not responsible for the members of this unit while I am incapacitated in the hospital. " I fix him with a glare, "And, on top of that, you're burning them out Chief. Having them work more than twenty four hours straight does nothing but diminish our chances of finding a lead. Send them home and let them rest."

"I didn't realise you were promoted to Chief." He offers a smug grin, "This is my department and I will run it how I see fit. This is a very high profile case Captain, and we need all of our men working it."

"When your men are so sleep deprived that they can't keep their eyes open during an interview, no progress is going to be made. If anything it will drag the investigation out and lead to more murders."

"Fine." He eventually concedes, "Just know that whatever happens next, that's on your shoulders Captain. Go dismiss them."

~oOo~

"I still don't know what you see in him." Provenza grumbles under his breath as he helps me pack up Andy's things.

"I'm not having this discussion with you Lieutenant." I reply flatly, opening the desk drawer and grinning to myself when I see the little red beanbag I shot all those years ago.

"The man's an idiot! Please tell me you're gonna talk him out of leaving!"

"As juvenile as he can be at times, he is an adult and can make his own decisions."

"You can't let him! Come on Captain, we need him! You need him!"

"I told Andy I would not defend him against you, if you have a problem with what he did I suggest you take it up with him. As his friend, I thought you would've respected his decision, especially given his motives for doing so."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." He waves his hand in the air dismissively as I place a few books into the box, "Chivalry's not dead. The Idiot made sure to protect the Queen and the Prince." "Precisely." I grin to myself, hoping I could suppress the blush creeping across my cheeks as I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to the Idiot in question, "I'll let him tell you his newest idea." I whisper with a smirk, picking up the box and strutting victoriously out of the murder room.

~oOo~

"Hey." I greet happily upon finding Andy in the parking garage, his back turned to me as he fumbled around in the trunk.

"Hey yourself." He quips but doesn't turn to face me, "I can't make room back here for that box."

He grumbles somewhat disappointedly.

"It's fine." I let out a puff of air in an attempt to move a lock of hair that had fallen in front of my eyes, "I can just put it in the back."

"I'm sorry." He rubs his forehead and glances at me for a second, "Let me take that." He says before promptly removing the box from my arms, "Open the door?"

"I got it." I open the door for him and he leans into the car, the heavy scent of his cologne washing over me.

I love him. I've already come to terms with that. But wanting to kiss him, wanting to hold him like this when the lines drawn between us were still so unclear, I can't help but worry about it. I'm usually better at keeping my emotions in check.

How do I even start a conversation about that with him? 'Hey you're my best friend and I'm in love with you?' 'You're naming a restaurant after me and helping me take care of my dying son and I love you?' 'You held me and stayed in the hospital with me all night, and I may or may not have taken those actions to heart?'

"Sharon?" Andy startles me, the look in his eyes reminiscent of the one I had seen when he found me curled up behind my desk, "Sharon are you alright?" He reaches up and places one hand on my shoulder as the other cups my cheek.

"Yeah, sorry." I shake my head awkwardly, "I just drifted off for a moment."

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes Andy." I offer a small smile as he strokes my cheek with his thumb, "I promise I'm fine."

"And you would tell me if you weren't, wouldn't you?" He questions, worry still visible in his features.

"I would tell you if something was wrong, I promise." I reach up and place my hand on top of his, watching as his expression changes from worried to surprised, "Can we go home now?"

"Uh, yeah... Of course." He runs his thumb across my cheek one last time before removing his hand from beneath mine and opening my car door.

~oOo~

How had I ever survived a day without Andrew Flynn before? How could I have ever come home by myself to Rusty the way things are? I'm not sure I would be able to, and I'm forever grateful to have Andy by my side.

Sitting down to a dinner of grilled cheese (which Andy refused to let me make or even help with) I was constantly being bombarded with questions from Rusty. What happened to me frightened him, and with the dark cloud of his mortality constantly hanging over us, the thought of something horrible happening to me made the situation worse. I couldn't have died, but seeing me in the hospital hooked up to machines, that was a reality check for all of us Andy included .

"So how'd it go with Chief Taylor?" Andy asks when Rusty finally runs out of questions, "Provenza's been texting me all day."

"I convinced him to send everyone home. Amy looked like she was going to fall asleep on me, and I know I'm not that boring."

Andy lets out a light chuckle before shifting his gaze nervously, "Did he say anything about me?"

"I told him I couldn't be held responsible for your actions while I was in the hospital. He wasn't too happy about it but he knows I'm right. Provenza's the one you should be more worried about, he wants me to talk you into coming back."

"Wait... You're not going back?" Rusty questions curiously, his ears perking up with interest, "What're you gonna do then?"

"I'm starting up a restaurant." He states proudly, "a few blocks from the PAB. I can take you to see it tomorrow if you'd like?"

"It depends on how I feel." Rusty replies sadly, his skin flushing as the stress of the past few days finally began to catch up with him, "But that's really great Lieutenant."

"Don't... You want to know what I'm calling it?" Andy asks cautiously, both excited and worried about Rusty's reaction.

"Okay..." Rusty eyes him carefully, "What are you calling it?"

"Well, I was thinking Raylynn Beck Bar and Grill." He offers nervously and I reach under the table to pat his thigh encouragingly, "We'll still need a mascot though, maybe you'd want to help with that?"

"Uh... Yeah okay. Let me sleep on it. Thanks for dinner Lieutenant." He stands up and carries his plate to the kitchen and starts cleaning up, "Good night Sharon."

"Come here." I stand up and walk over to him, pulling him into my arms and kissing his forehead, "Good night Rusty, I love you."

"I love you too." He grumbles, hoping I would let go of him sooner rather than later.

"Thank you for giving Andy a chance." I whisper as I let him go, "Get some sleep Honey."

"I will." He rolls his eyes as he disappears down the hallway.

~oOo~

"Thank you for dinner." I smile, Andy and I standing at the door to my condo, "You didn't have to."

"I know." He shrugs playfully, "But it's the least I could do for the two of you."

"Why?" I ask hesitantly, my gaze falling to the floor, "Why do you feel so protective of us Andy? I know I asked you to be here for me, but you're doing so much more than I ever expected you would and "

"That's what you do when you care about someone." He admits, reaching out and gently threading his fingers through mine, "If it's too much I... I can tone it down a bit if... that'd help?" He suggests hesitantly.

"I'm not sure… I just… I don't want us to be a burden for you." I finally explain, "You've already lost your job over me, and you want to help pay Rusty's medical bills and it just seems like so much for you to be doing for us."

"I've told you a hundred time I want to." He emphasises, pulling me into his arms, "Just relax

Sharon, you really need to relax."

"I know." I sigh defeatedly, "But you shouldn't be doing all this for us."

"I'm going to do it anyways." He replies childishly, "No matter how many times you ask me not to. I made a promise to take care of you two and that's exactly what I intend to do."

"But Andy…" I sigh, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"No. No buts. I'm doing this for the two of you and you are going to let me because that's what friends do." He retorts, kissing the crown of my head, "You can argue with me until you're blue in the face but it isn't going to change anything."

"God, you are so stubborn." I shake my head, "You're driving me insane, I hope you know that."

"And that's why you love me."

Oh no. Had he heard what I said in the hospital? Or was this just him trying to be charming? Or had he somehow figured out that I really do love him? His fingers delicately pushing a strand of hair behind my ear jarrs me back to reality and I look up at him, hopefully appearing less startled than I felt.

"What?" I ask, hoping he'd change his response.

"I drive you crazy, I'm a jackass, and I make your life a living hell. That's why you love me." He smirks.

No. And I thought this situation couldn't get any worse.

"I think it's time for you to leave. Thank you so much for everything the past few days." I offer a weak smile as I unwrap my arms from around him. He makes no attempt to do the same.

"What's wrong?" He asks worriedly, "Did I say something? Everything was fine until a minute ago, talk to me, please?"

"Not right now." I shake my head, "Please, I really think you should get going."

"Fine." He concedes sadly, "I'm glad to know this is how you treat the people that care about you. Good night Sharon." He says monotone before turning and walking out the door.

~oOo~

Shit. I messed everything up. Again. Because I'm too afraid to actually admit that I have feelings for him. Now he's gone, sad, and probably sitting in his living room in the dark, trying to figure out what he did wrong.

But it wasn't him. It was me overreacting for what seemed like the hundredth time, and him pulling away yet again. Is he right? Is this how I treat the people I care about? It's been so long since I've romantically cared for someone that I'm not sure. Maybe he is right.

Curling up in bed and picking up my phone from the bedside table, I dial his number. I'm not ready to tell him I love him, but I want to set things right. I want to explain to him why I reacted the way I had.

"Yeah?" He answers, "Sharon?"

"Hey." I answer, trying to mask how happy I was to hear his voice, "Are you busy? Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"I always have time for you." He replies, and I swallow hard in attempt to mask my nervousness,

"If this is about earlier, it's fine. You don't need to explain yourself to me."

"No, I do." I shake my head, "You've done nothing but support Rusty and me through all of this and all I did in return was shut you out. You deserve better than that."

"Really, it's fine. I don't want you to feel like you have to tell me something."

"I don't. I just needed to get my thoughts together. I'm sorry for how I acted earlier it's "

"Sharon, I told you it's fine. Whenever you're ready to explain, I'm ready to listen."

"Well I hope you're prepared to listen then." I respond, taking a deep breath and preparing myself for the absolute worst, "What would you say if I told you the reason I freaked out is because you were right? That maybe I care about you more than I'm letting on?"

The momentary silence on the other end of the line is deafening . "I would say that I figured that out quite a while ago, and that I know you're scared."

Why do I feel like I'm going to cry again?! I really need to get a hold of myself. "You… you knew?" I ask hesitantly.

"I mean," I hear him run a hand through his silver hair, "I wasn't sure but I thought maybe, and I was trying to be subtle but at the same time I was trying to give you space because you said you needed space and it's just… I don't know."

"Well that makes two of us then." I smile to myself, "I guess… hearing you say that I loved you scared me because I realised how close to true that is and how I was trying to keep this from happening and I failed." I let out a deep sigh, "I didn't want this to happen because of Rusty and the repercussions of us and him and the cancer and…" Tears are biting at the back of my throat and I pause in an attempt to regain my composure, "This is so ridiculous."

"We've been ridiculous since day one." He chuckles, "Do you remember the first day we met?"

"I do." I respond reminiscently, "I got called out at nearly two in the morning to get you from some dive. Ricky was still little and I was pregnant with Emily; Jack disappeared again so I had to bring them along and for God knows what reason you tried to talk me into coming home with you. Got a pretty nice slap across the face for that one too if I'm not mistaken." I grin to myself.

"You're not mistaking." He chuckles, "I had a red spot on my face for nearly a week. You can't even imagine the hell Provenza gave me for that."

"We've come so far since then." I smile, my voice suddenly taking on an airy quality I can't explain, "I think maybe that's part of what scares me."

"There's nothing to be afraid of Sharon." He assures me, "Now that we've got most of everything out in the open."

" Most?" I question nervously, "What does that mean?"

"It means that… Maybe… Nevermind." He sighs, "That'll only make things even more complicated."

Is he trying to say what I think he's trying to say?! "You… You feel the same way about me, don't you?" I question, my hands shaking nervously despite my attempts to still them.

"I… ah," he sighs, "I don't want to make things worse than they already are. I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, Andy, I'm sorry. I screwed everything up again in trying to make it better."

"You didn't, honestly Sharon you didn't. But I know why you're scared and I don't want to make things any more difficult for you than they already are."

"It's too late for that, honestly." I shake my head. wrapping the quilt tighter around myself,

"We've said what we've been trying not to say in one way or another. It's out there now."

"You know," I can hear him reach up and scratch his jaw, "my dad, before he left, he used to always tell me and Jimmy that someone didn't have to say 'I love you' to love you. He wrote up this whole list for us, I think I still have it here somewhere, give me one sec." He asks before I hear him fumbling around and cursing at whatever he had just knocked over, "Found it!" He exclaims happily, "Now, let's see here… I'm just going to read down the list."

"Alright." I hum, surprised that he could make such a touchy subject humerous.

"Okay… Here goes nothing…" He lets out a deep breath, "'Did you eat enough today?' 'Are you still hungry?' 'How much sleep did you get last night?' 'I'm worried about you.' 'Is there anything I can do to help?' 'Do you need me to spend the night?' 'My phone will be right by my pillow.' 'Call me, please.' 'Your smile is beautiful.' Don't worry, I'll take care of it for you.' 'I've got your back.' 'I appreciate what you do for me.' 'Don't forget to buckle up.' 'Put the phone away while you're driving.' 'Call me when you get there.' 'Thank you.' 'Stay safe.' 'Be careful.' I think between the two of us we've exhausted this list." He states, and I can almost see the smirk that is no doubt drawn across his face.

"So… What does this mean then?"

"What do you want it to mean?" He questions, "It doesn't have to mean anything if it'll be too difficult right now, just know that I've got your back."

"So, say we wait…" I start hesitantly, "Wait until we know what's going to happen to Rusty. What if I…" I'm on the verge of tears again, "What if he doesn't make it and I push you away even more than before. What if I hurt you… or… or have another attack or get depressed and make you leave me alone? What then? What if…"

"No matter what happens to Rusty, I'm not letting you go. You can cry, you can lock me out, you can even yell at me, but that's not going to keep me from at least trying to take care of you."

"How did I ever get so lucky?" I ask seriously, "After everything the two of us have been through, after all the terrible things we've put our loved ones through, how did we end up finding even a little bit of happiness?"

"I don't know Sharon." He yawns, "Are we okay then?"

"Yes." I smile, "We're better than okay, Andy. Thank you for talking with me."

"My phone'll be on all night if you need me. Good night Sweetheart, sleep well."

"Good night Andy, I'll see you tomorrow."

Hanging up my phone and sitting it back down on the nightstand, I let out a contented sigh. How had things changed so drastically in just a matter of days?