Chapter 9:

So folks, I am sorry it took so long but finally I am in my new flat and nearly everything is unpacked and on its place :) Here we go :)

She opened her eyes, again it was dark. Panic stroke her immediately and she sat up fast, too fast as she soon realized. Her head began spinning and her ribbs hurt like hell.

She tried to be quiet but started sobbing because of the pain. A figure rushed to her and she held up her hands to protect herself. "No, please. Where is my daughter", Sharon gasped.

"Shhhh, honey! You are in the hospital. You gave us quite a shock out there!", Andy sat onto the side of her hospital bed and softly pushed her back.

"Andy? What happened? The last thing I remember is Emily lying down on my lap. Oh Andy there was something wrong with her lungs. When she was breathing she made odd noises and blood came out. How is she?", Sharon wanted to know.

Then the doctors Andy had called when she woke up, came in. "Mrs. Raydor, nice to have you back", a rather handsome looking doctor in his 40s said. "How is my daughter doctor!", Sharon demanded.

"Mrs. Raydor calm down. You should rest", he started but he was interrupted by Sharon who asked with her Captain's tone: "I want to know in what condition my daughter is!". Andy tried to calm her down and the doctor looked at him. "Well Detective, you have a very very demanding girlfriend here. Sure she is not your boss?", Andy smiled and said: "Well she IS actually also my boss. So you better tell her what she wants to know before she gets really bossy!". The doctor sighed and admitted "All right, all right. Mrs. Raydor, your daughter came in, in very critically condition he started.", Sharon gripped Andy's hand. "It was really a last minute rescue. Her had a serial rib fracture and one of the rips stung into her lung, which resulted in a tension pneumothorax. When she got in her right lung was nearly collapsed. Moreover she has a broken ankle and a concussion. We had to operate immediately.. Sharon listened to Emily's diagnosis with horror. Her eyes widened with every word that came out of the doctor's mouth. "How ...", she closed her eyes and could feel Andy's hand on her shoulder. "How is she now doctor?", she dreaded the answer. "The will to fight she definitely got from her mother", he smiled sympathetically. "The young Miss Raydor is stable now and as far as I can tell now she is going to be fine. But she needs time, time and care. We must not forget the traumatic events she went through. Her body physical injuries getting better is only one part of the healing process." " I want to see her", Sharon said and tried to sit up again but the pain kicked in again. "Mrs. Raydor you are in no position to get up. You lost a lot of blood. In fact you were lucky that you are not dead. the knife cut into throat only inches away from your carotid artery. Like your daughter you also broke a few ribs and you got a contusion in your right shoulder. A big bruise is building up on the backside of your head. I have no idea what happened down in that crypt but cent of people would have passed out when hitting that tomb head first, " he said and went out. However before he shut the door he said "I will keep you updated on the condition of your daughter. Detective, you have a brave girlfriend and daughter". The door was shut before Andy could correct him.

"Well Sharon as he said, you and Emily are very brave", then he bent down and kissed her. She closed her eyes and for the first time since this whole horror started this noon Sharon felt save and calmed down a bit. Then she dozed off.

When she awoke Andy was still sitting beside her bed. He sat in a chair and his head lay on the bed. he was snoring lightly. She could not help but smile and gently brushed through his hair. It was only know she realized how much she loved this man. Andy awoke and looked up to her. She asked "Good Morning, sleepy eye. How are you doing?", Andy sat up and yawned. "I should ask YOU this question. But thanks I am fine. I am feeling fine the first time since Emily went missing." Her stomach winced when she remembered the last hours. "Andy tell me, who was this asshole", she grabbed his hand.

Andy looked her deeply in the eyes and asked. "Are you sure you are strong enough for the whole story?" but he saw the Captain's flickers in her eyes and smiled. "Allright allright before you say anything, I will do as commanded... Captain", he laughed.

Sharon started laughing too but stopped immediately due to the pain in her ribs. The pain killers did not really work but she wanted her brain to work , so she did not want a higher dose of pain killers."

Andy stroke her hand when he started, "It turned out this creep was working for the cleaning service at the department. Therefore he could install the cameras.", Sharon saw the face in front of her and now she knew where to put him. "When I saw him, Andy, he looked familiar and now that you told me i remember him always greeting nicely and asking about the well beings of my family. I just thought we was a nice guy. We chatted constantly when I had to work late hours. Why did he do that and why on earth did he drag Emily into this.?"

Andy continued: "He was obsessed with you Sharon. In his flat we found pictures of you published in news articles but we also found private pictures of you and your kids going Christmas shopping. It was like a shrine. Sharon he was following you. ", Sharon gasped.

"So why did this creep kill the other women before ?", Sharon asked trying to stay professional.

"Obviously he wanted you to notice him. With every corpse he left a piece of his belongings. Just small things like a coin or so on. However there were no really personal things or fingerprints. So we could not match him to the corpses. He wanted to be caught by you in personnel. However since we could not link the evidence to him, he had to take the next step. The step where he thought you would be on your best. This was involving your family." Sharon took Andy's hand and asked "Ricky and Rusty! Are they still all right?" "He kissed her hand "Yes Sharon, yes they are. Actually they are waiting outside. Want to see them? We can finish the story later." He got up but Sharon pulled him back. "Yes I want to see them but first I want to hear the story". "Ok,"; Andy said and sat down again. "So he took your daughter but what e did not realize was that there was no way of us linking the evidence he left to him. He thought it was all clear, but in fact it was irregular pieces left by somebody. He got Emily like he got all the other women. He had stolen a cab some years before and now he was driving around looking for his next victims. When Julio talked with the cab drivers at the airport they could remember that he just persuaded Emily to get into his car. He was not the next in line but he had quite a charm when it helped him to get to his victims. Well... and you know the rest of the story. When I found both you and Emily, you insisted on taking Emily first and walking up alone. However you passed out rather quick. As the doctor said before it is a miracle that you stayed conscious that long. I think it was the mother's strength fighting for her baby. As soon as you saw that Emily was treated and being saved your strength was gone", he smiled and as far as she could see through her tears that had gathered in her eyes, his eyes were wet as well. "God Sharon, I am so glad both of you survived and are going to recover." Sharon smiled, then she asked: "Could you get my other boys in now?" Andy immediately stood up and was gone shortly. Then she saw Rusty and Ricky and behind them a rather worried looking Jack. "Mom", They said and rushed to her but stopped before hugging her. She knew they probably were aware of her broken ribs. Instead of hugging her they both kissed her on her cheeks. "Mom, I am so glad that you are all right", Ricky said. "I knew that you would safe Emily!" and Rusty said "Net time you and Emily are planning luncheon you and my sister both are going to be brought to the restaurant by a police car. I promise", Sharon smiled. She could not speak, she was overwhelmed with happiness that she could watch her boys once again. Down in the crypt shortly she had not been sure if she was going to see either one of them again in this life.

The happy family reunion was interrupted by Jack looking through the door. "aaaaaa... could you let Sharon and me alone for one minute?", Jack asked rather ashamed. "No Sharon said, they can hear everything you are going to say."... Jack's head got read. He seemed embarrassed: "Sharon I wanted to apologize for my behaviour before. I should have been there for you, I should have been there for the boys and I should have been there for Emily. I was not strong enough. So I got angry with myself and went to the bar", Ricky interrupted him "As you have allways done dad, when things were getting difficult", he said it with a cold voice. "Ricky", Sharon said and looked at him. "No, Sharon he is right. I have never been there for my family when you needed me. Andy promise me one thing. Be there for them, always.", then he turned and walked out the room without saying another word.

A few days later she learned that Jack went to Florida, for vacation he said but she knew that he had to hide, hide from himself.

When she was finally officially allowed to get out of bed the first way she made was to Emily's room. Andy was helping her. Emily was awake but Sharon was shocked how pale and small her daughter looked. Andy opened the door for her and waved Ricky and Rusty who were at Emily's bedside outside. When they saw their mother they followed Andy's orders immediately. Then Andy shut the door quietly behind her. Sharon stood there and watched her daughter and Emily looked into sharon's eyes. Lead by an impulse Sharon went to Emily's bed quickly and sat down. She really wanted to hug her daughter but the doctors said hat neither her ribs nor Emily's operational wound would withstand a mother-daughter hug. Instead she kissed Emily all over her face. Both of them cried.

"Mum", Emily said through tears. "Mum I am so glad you are all right. I kept asking for you but they said I should concentrate on my recovery". Sharon sat up an kissed Emily's hands. "Yes they are right. You got the bigger shot of us too. I just had a few broken ribs but they told me your life was hanging by a thread." , she nearly started crying again when she thought about saving Emily a few minutes later. She shook her head. She was not allowed to think about such things.. Her daughter was alive and save now, that was reality. "What's the matter mum?", Emily had seen the black shadow on her mother's face. "Nothing my dear, I am just glad you are alive and save", she smiled. "Mum I cannot believe how you fought down there. Like a lion. The doctor's told me that there is no medical explanation of you keeping consciousness after your encounter with tomb I was lying on."

Sharon smile and said "If you once are a mother yourself, you will see that if it comes to the safety of your children you are stronger than anyone else. I love you and I would do anything to keep you safe honey. I hope you know that."

"Yes Mom I know. I knew before but since I saw you fighting with this creep in the crypt I know more than ever. I love you too."

Then against the advices of the doctor's they hugged anyway.

So that's it... I hope you liked it and thanks for reviewing, following and favouriting!