~Things Continue to Not Go as Planned on Just Another Day in February~

Chapter 10:

In a panic, Sharon managed to untangle herself from the dreaded blanket and rush over and kneel next to Andy. "Oh no, are you alright?" She asked, knowing full well he wasn't.

"I think, but I'm getting a little tired of the view from down here. I seem to not be able to stand on my own two feet when I'm around you. I'm literally falling for you, Sharon." Andy smirked at his attempt at humor. He tried to sit up but groaned when he moved, the smirk quickly fading from his face. Holding his back with one hand, he finally admitted, "You know, I don't think I'm fine this time. Landing on a hard table wasn't as soft as getting knocked down in the freshly fallen snow." Sharon held his hand as he lay on the floor trying to collect himself, surprised he would admit he was really not fine at all.

After resting on the floor for a few minutes, Sharon slowly and carefully helped him to the bedroom. They spent the rest of the day in bed together, but Andy laid on his stomach as she traded ice packs for heat packs every twenty minutes or so. Again, she tried to get him to see a doctor, but he assured her that he would be fine and there was no need to go to the emergency room, wherever that was around there. "I just need some time and I'll be fine. Your Nightingale talents have really been put to the test this last year, haven't they?"

"Andy, I don't mind taking care of you. I know you would do the same for me and have." Sharon knew he was hurting more than he let on. In fact, she knew he was miserable. He couldn't hide it. Whenever he moved, he moaned and grimaced. Every time she changed the ice packs on his back and saw the large deep purple bruise or saw how hard it was for him to move, she cringed at the thought that it was her fault. When they settled into the comfortable bed, she read and ran her fingers through his hair as he fell asleep with his head resting in her lap.

Hours later, he was up and about with Sharon's help and the help of a few Advil's. Andy proved he could maneuver enough to convince her to get dressed for a nice quiet dinner at a local restaurant. He would just be sitting and they needed to eat was his argument. Reluctantly, Sharon agreed. What she didn't know was that this was another one of his proposal attempts. The reservations were already made prior to his latest fall. It was to be a celebratory dinner or a fail-safe if his last plan didn't work, which it didn't. When Andy called back earlier, while Sharon was getting ready, the young lady at the restaurant he talked to was more than happy to help him pull off part of his next plan, maybe too excited from the giggling on the other end.

It was snowing hard when they left, but it wasn't that far of a drive and they both grew up on the East Coast so a few inches of white fluffy powdery snow wasn't enough to stop them. Andy helped Sharon shake the cold flakes off her coat as they waited. They were greeted by an overly peppy young hostess who was practically bouncing as she welcomed them. She smiled brightly and nodded to Andy before leading them to their table. Sharon glared suspiciously at the exchange. The bubbly young pretty blonde was telling them of the special, but Sharon wasn't hearing much of what was said. Her attention was only on Andy. She noticed he seemed to be walking straighter, taller as if his back didn't hurt at all. When he helped her into her chair and kissed her cheek, she could have sworn she heard the hostess giggle. They sat and were given menus.

After placing their order, Andy mentioned, "Oh I forgot my phone in the car. I'll be right back."

Sharon watched him leave. At first, it was to admire the man's physique, but then that cute young, very young girl went over to talk to him when he came back inside. Hearing the muffled giggle from the entryway where the two were huddled together, Sharon took a deep breath and rolled her eyes. She tried not to tense up at the sight of them flirting, but she couldn't help it. Andy was smiling as he made his way back to their table, but she saw the happy look drop from his face as he sat down. Sharon made an effort not to show how much that interaction affected her as she said, "I was going to say before you hurried off that you shouldn't need your phone. I have mine if Provenza calls us or Rusty should need me."

When Andy walked back to Sharon, he was feeling confident and couldn't help but smile as he looked at her. She was beautiful and he hoped that this plan would work out. He wanted nothing more to make her his wife if he could first survive making her his fiancé. As he sat down, he was concerned at how intense she looked at him, her eyes were a darker green and bit wary. He was afraid she was figuring out what he was going to ask her tonight. He was taken back by her Raydoresque tone as she mentioned he didn't need to go after his phone. "I'm hoping no one calls me, but it's just in case Nicole has to reach me." He was fairly sure Sharon didn't notice when he slipped the hostess the ring.

Sharon relaxed, since she really wasn't worried where Andy was concerned, he just had that way about him. The old-fashioned gentleman in him attracted attention as much as his good looks, but it could be a little irritating. She didn't know where the protective desire came from. She never felt this way with Jack. In fact, Sharon was happy when he was someone else's problem. It kept him from trying to get back into her bed. With a few deep breaths and slow releases of air, she tried to enjoy their dinner, but honestly, all she wanted was to get out of there and have Andy all to herself.

Andy considered lots of options for his proposal tonight. There was the ring in the champagne, but since he didn't drink, Sharon would never let him order something so extravagant just for her. He could ask her before or during dinner, but then she'd be too excited to eat or what if she said no? The possibility set his nerves on edge. If she did say no, that could end everything between them and Andy didn't want that at all. So, he decided to take the chance and go with the traditional after-dinner proposal. As the table was being cleared of their dishes, Andy rehearsed in his head what he was going to say to her. His heart instantly sank when Sharon said, "thank you, it was an amazing dinner, but I'm too full for dessert. We should get back to the cabin before the snow closes the roads." She practically threw her napkin from her lap on to the table before scooting her chair backward. In a dismissive tone, she said, "I'm going to use the restroom, then we can leave."

Andy automatically hurried to finish pulling out her chair. When Sharon was out of sight, he turned to the hostess, who had tried talking Sharon into having one of their desserts. The blonde sadly returned the box and offered a low, "sorry. It was a sweet, lovely and a romantic idea though." The young lady sighed and laughed as she said, "I hope I can find someone like you in my lifetime. She's beautiful and you make a perfect couple. Good luck."

He offered her a thank you but wasn't really listening. He was worried about Sharon and what was going on with her change of mood. He quickly took the box and slipped it back into his pants pocket before going to pay the bill. Taking both their coats, he waited by the doorway for Sharon. Andy thought about talking to her, but he also needed to come up with another plan. All of his overthinking and worrying was building up his stress levels, but he still didn't want to just hand her the box and say, "here, what do you think?" Though that option was sounding better, he wanted this to be a night she would remember. If he was honest with himself, he'd admit he was feeling a little unsettled and didn't mind going back early.

Sharon felt bad as soon as she got up, she didn't want to sound too brusque, she didn't want to be rude, but she just wanted to get out of there. Right before she entered the ladies room, Sharon heard another giggle and rolled her eyes. Seems that as soon as she was out of the way, the blonde hostess took her chance to be near Andy.

After a quiet ride back to the cabin, they sat in front of the freshly stoked fire, Andy could tell Sharon was still tense. He wanted to try and ease another disastrous moment, so he came up with an idea. "So how about I draw you a bath? You don't need to do anything but relax and enjoy it. I will get everything ready." Andy gave her a lopsided grin as he said, "maybe the hot water will even help my back if you let me get in to soak too, that is." Sharon agreed and he got up to get it ready. "Wait here, I'll come get you when it's ready."

Watching him leave, Sharon still felt bad about the way she acted, but seeing Andy with the pretty young girl sent her into a jealous funk. She only nodded at his suggestion as she stared at the flames. She wanted to make up for ruining dinner, so she waited for Andy for a few minutes after hearing the water start. When he didn't come out, she went to see what was taking so long. As she got closer to the bathroom, she heard it. The awful sound of someone losing the content of their stomach, and that someone was Andy. Sharon rushed in to see if he was alright. First, she quickly turned the bath water off to stop the tub from overflowing. Then hurried to Andy's side on the bathroom floor. She patted his back as she sat down beside him. When it seemed to be over, she grabbed one of the hand towels hanging above them and gave it to him. "I'll get you a cool rag for you."

Andy tried to stop her in a raspy voice, "you...you shouldn't be in here or anywhere near me. I think Provenza gave me what he had and from what Skyes and Sanchez went through, it's going to be bad."

"Nonsense, Andy I'm not leaving you like this. Anyway, it is what it is. I've been exposed by everyone on the team, either I get it or I don't, but I feel fine." Sharon helped him stand up and supported him as he brushed his teeth and washed his face. After helping him collapse on the bed she asked. "Andy, why didn't you tell me that you weren't feeling well before we left LA?"

He groaned into the pillow before saying, "I... I didn't want to ruin our first trip together."

"You know your health is more important than anything, right?" Sharon said as she took off Andy's shoes, socks, and pants. There was a thump when she dropped the clothes on the floor. She figured it was probably his phone and they would hear it if it rang. She was too concerned with him right now to go through his pants pockets looking for a cell phone.

Andy turned over on his back to help her get his dress shirt off but stilled her hands on the buttons. Looking her in the eye he said in a whisper, "time spent with you is what is important."

Her voice took a captain's tone as she corrected him. "Andy, if you don't take care of yourself, then you won't have time to spend with me." Finally, with him in just his boxers and t-shirt, she helped him get settled and asked, "How is your stomach feeling?"

Andy waited a few seconds before deciding, "I think I'll be fine, though my throat hurts a little."

"I'll get you some water. Don't move." It was nice to see her command brought a smirk to his pale face before she left the room. Sharon came back and helped him lean up to take a few small sips, then set the glass down on the nightstand. After changing, she got into bed and they were as they usually were every night, his head on her lap and her fingers running through his hair. As his silver strands slipped through her fingers, she softly said, "now, try and sleep."

Sharon smiled as she heard a muffled, "love you."

~TBC~

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