To all the reviewers, I thank you for making me smile. To the favorites and followers you are wonderful too. A little more angst in this chapter.
This chapter is for lontanissima, hope everyone enjoys.
They had gone to bed without speaking. She understood Andy, when he need time, he meant it. He only grew aggravated when pushed. He needed time so she would give it to him. So instead she had curled into him like every night and he had held her. Held her tight and it was comforting, more than any words she could hear him say. In the morning he had just whispered goodbye instead of covering her with kisses like he always did before going to a crime scene. She laid awake for an hour before pushing up.
When she climbed out of the bed and pressed too much weight on her ankle, she was hit with a different kind of pain making her let out a whimper, reminding her why their was distance between her husband and her. She was sitting in the same place fifteen minutes later when Rusty had knocked on her door and said he was off to school and would see her in the afternoon.
It had made her react, finally pushing up and after a shower she had wrapped her ankle in a bandage. As she entered the murder room and said good morning they had all looked at her quizzically. The clicking of her shoes was absent and in place was a pair of flats, covered by pants. They all looked at Andy, but he was already on his feet following her into her office.
He hadn't thought the ankle thing was so serious last night, he scolds himself for not having her raise it to relieve the pressure. He closed the blinds. She had stopped and watched him, confused. She wasn't going to argue or have a discussion in her office. Without saying a word he had sat her on the recliner propping her foot up.
"It doesn't hurt too bad, just with the heels on." She whispered, he glanced at her.
"You tried wearing heels?" He asked slightly amused but also worried.
She only nodded. Three different heights but she would leave that part out. He unwrapped her ankle and examined it. When he was comfortable knowing it was only sore he wrapped it up again. It was more comfortable as he tightened it. Then he looked up at her and stood up.
"Thank you." She called after him as he left her office. He had smiled wearily over his shoulder as he left.
She is sitting with him in the van now in the stake out. Buzz watching the monitors. They hadn't talked beside the case since he was wrapping her ankle. Even Buzz could feel the tension.
She was confused, this had to go beyond jealousy, beyond him not liking Jason. He was being so distant.
"Raise your foot." Both Sharon and Buzz are startled by the sudden noise that breaks the silence. She smiles shrugging looking around for somewhere to put it up, he pats his knee.
"It doesn't hurt anymore." She whispers as he lifts her foot to his knee, removing her shoe.
"Doesn't matter, it's still swollen. He begins to loosen the bandage and Sharon can feel a little ache return. They go silent again, watching monitors hearing the others chitchat among the radio.
They were waiting for one specific car to drive by to corner it and apprehend the suspect. But it had been two hours of waiting. She looks at his hand which begins to rub her leg absentmindedly as he watches the screens. It was something he did when he needed her close, when only she could calm him. She smiles, letting him continue for a moment longer before she hesitantly interrupts his affections.
"Andy, the bandage. Just in case. So I can be ready." He reaches over the console and wraps her ankle without a comment.
"I went for a coffee with Cecile." Sharon looks at him surprised.
"When?" He hates that her voice holds a bit of frustration.
"While I was waiting for the warrant." She doesn't look away from him until she realizes he's waiting for her to speak.
"Oh." She glances over at Buzz who is trying to act as if he's not hearing any of this. "Is she alright?"
"No, I don't think so. She was talking about leaving Jason." Sharon's head jerks up in Andy's direction his eyes on the monitors now. She can see he is angry, he is angry with her.
"Suspect is three minutes ways." They shift at the sound of Sykes voice. "There are two others in the vehicle with him. He is in the passenger's seat. Be warned there is another car following him. Probably his security." Sharon looks at Andy and raises the walkie-talkie to her lips.
"We stick to the plan. SIS will cover any other vehicle's that do not belong to the suspect. We cover the suspect's vehicle."
"Copy that, let's be prepared ninety seconds out." They hear Sykes call.
Andy secures his vest and meets her eyes before he leaves. "I'll be careful, I promise." She nods taking a breath as he climbs out of the van. They both hated this part going into danger worried about leaving the other alone to suffer the pain of a possible loss, or the ache of being in the hospital if someone was injured. It only became ten times more difficult when they weren't on good terms.
She waits anxiously, walkie-talkie in one hand and screens in front of her. Sykes and Provenza giving directions. Then the screeching of cars, the shouting of officers. She knows leaving Buzz alone is not an option she takes a deep breath as she sees the struggle between officers on the screens, she shifts in her seat.
It is several minutes of hearing calls over the radio. Sharon giving orders. Then finally Buzz looks over at her when the clear is called. Then the relaxation in her shoulder after hearing Andy's voice a few minutes later. She nods thankful that everyone is safe.
"Alright let's get everyone downtown. Great job everyone." Sharon closes her eyes, only opening when the van door opens and she moves to the passenger seat. She's surprised to see Sykes.
"Ma'am, Lieutenant Flynn asked me to drive." She nods, playing with her wedding ring as Sykes starts the car and begins to drive.
They arrive back at the murder room, putting everyone into separate rooms. Sharon glances over the room and spots Andy coming from the interview room. Her eyes grow wider when she sees his swollen lip.
She steps forward when he approaches her.
"He was being difficult." He touches his busted lip as he stands in front of her. "Sykes could of handled him but it was better that I did." Sharon nods, "is it still bleeding?" Sharon shakes her head reaching up and touching the cut with her thumb coming back with no blood. Her attention is drawn out by a shouting match. She glares at the men and looks up at Andy gently touching his shoulder as he hurries over to Sánchez and Detective Cooper, Sykes is standing in between both men trying to keep them apart.
"That's enough." Both men stop shouting immediately at the sound of Sharon's voice. "Sánchez in my office, Detective Cooper take a walk." The man glances at Sykes before he walks away. She looks around the murder room. They all looked angry and fed up. "What happened out there?" She asks the entire room.
They all look expectantly at Sykes, it was her boyfriend after all.
"Cooper almost pulled his weapon on the suspect." Sykes says softly. Sharon looks around again, how had she missed this? "He could have missed and hit the woman that was with him instead." Sykes stops immediately when the entire team scoffs.
"But he didn't seem to care." Andy grumbles from where he's standing. "Even while our suspect was cooperating." His voice rises. "He was still going to shoot and pissed off the suspect." Sharon understands the busted lip now.
"Okay, Lieutenant Flynn you need a walk too." He sighs, tossing his things on his desk. Then walking in the direction the other man disappeared to. "Another direction Lieutenant and put ice on that lip." Andy walks around the desks in the direction of the break room. "Amy please start the interview with the woman, I'll be in shortly. Lieutenant Provenza please join her. Lieutenant Tao make sure Detective Cooper doesn't leave this building." Sharon walks to her office and Sánchez is standing straight hands behind his back facing her desk. She doesn't go behind her desk but stands in front of him. He stands straighter. "Julio, would you like to explain yourself?"
"He's an asshole Captain." Sharon shakes her head. If it wasn't so serious it would be amusing how stubborn he is.
"Julio, we can't have these outburst anymore. They can lead to an IA investigation that can lead to your suspension. And that may seem indifferent to you because I understand how much you care about the victims but it is not indifferent to this team." He meets her eyes when her voice changes from Captain to Sharon. "It would be heartbreaking to this team and to me personally." She looks at Andy through the window returning with ice to his lip. She looks back at Julio, this was one thing she could control right now. "I need you to consider the suggestions we talked about before." There had been a meeting and talk about his temper, but it was beginning to get out of hand. She waits for a confirmation.
"Yes Captain." She looks at him carefully.
"Julio, we need you here." He nods again.
"I will." He says sincerely.
"Good, I'm holding you to your word. And I'll be checking in with you." He nods. "Now let's join the others." He looks at her surprised that there is no more scolding, than moves to the door, holding it open for her and allowing her to go first. They enter the control room, she takes the seat beside Buzz watching as Sykes and Provenza get nothing out of a terrified woman.
She rubs her forehead and calls them out of the interview.
Sharon arrives home, the suspect had lawyered up and his lawyer wasn't flying in till tomorrow there was nothing they could do but wait. She walks into the kitchen and a bundle of flowers with a note in it, sit on the counter.
Mom, I will be staying with Nicole for a couple of nights. I think Andy and you need some time alone. Rusty.
She smiles taking the flowers and setting them in a vase and placing them on the center of the table. He must have heard them last night. She looks at her watch, Andy shouldn't be too far from coming home. She doesn't know if they'll be any resolve from everything that had happened tonight, but a dinner would be a good welcoming.
She sets to cooking, making Andy's favorites. When an hour has gone by and he's not home she begins to worry. She sets the table then dials his number. When there is no answer, the worry is replaced with an uncertainty. He always answered her calls. She looks down at her buzzing phone.
Went to a meeting, don't wait up for me I'm with Cecile.
She frowns, rereading the message over and over. She pushes up turning off the oven and the stove leaving everything as is and walking to the bedroom.
Don't wait up for me.
She takes a shower, changes and gets in her car driving away from the loneliness of her house that her son had intended to be a moment for his parents to get better.
Don't wait up for me.
She enters the murder room and finds Julio working at his desk. He looks up at her as she walks over to him. There is surprise in his face but she isn't surprised to see him.
"Captain?" He says softly, standing up.
"So where are we?" He meets her eyes expecting a lecture on overtime but he immediately sees that she's looking for a distraction. He hands her the files he's looking at and she sits in front of him and begins highlighting.
"You want a coffee Captain?" She looks up.
"Yes, thank you." He walks away leaving her alone again, she takes a long breath before getting back to work.
Don't wait up for me.
The words make her angrier and angrier.
Andy arrives home and frowns when Sharon's car isn't in the driveway. It wasn't normal for her to put it in the garage. He opens the garage and worries when it's completely empty. He stops his car quickly unlocking the house door and calling for her. He finds the table set, pots on the stove.
He feels a pang in his chest and he rubs the back of his neck.
Idiot. She was planning a dinner for them. God Andy. He walks to the bedroom and sees she had showered before she had left.
He pulls out his phone and calls her but it goes straight to voicemail. He closes his eyes, she wouldn't only be angry, she'd be furious.
"Sharon, I'm home just let me know you're alright." He hangs up dialing Rusty's number.
Sanchez comes into the murder room with a second glass of coffee. It had been over three hours since she had walked in here. Even if he wondered what had happened he would never ask. There were many times she had been around when he needed her, he would do the same for her. Sharon thanks him taking the coffee and looking at the murder board. He stands beside her.
"We could interview her again Captain?" He whispers. "Maybe she'll cooperate."
"Yes, maybe bring her some food and a cup of coffee. To gain her trust. Then go in and be gentle with her. Let her know he won't harm her again." He nods as she hums through her sip of coffee, she stops him putting her hand on his arm. "I'll call in for the food." He watches her walk to her office, looking at his phone and finally responding to the message.
She was glad to have something to keep her mind off of Andy. She refused to be at home waiting anxiously, she was never that woman and she wouldn't become that woman. The one who laid in bed worried, anxious or jealous about where her husband was.
Don't wait up for me.
The words still running across her mind as she eats a small salad with Julio and the witness. The woman had been suspicious of them at first, but when they hadn't probed her with question she had ate her food quickly. They had thanked her and left her alone again so she won't feel pressured. It seemed like she was traumatized.
Finally as they wait for her to talk on her own free will she sits at her desk closing her eyes.
And she drifts off.
She opens her eyes at the voices and closes her eyes when she sees Andy. Of course he would find her, she wasn't hiding. But now she was the one that needed time and space. He walks over to her and glares at her.
His breathing is heavy as if he had ran the stairs instead of riding the elevator.
"You walk out without a word. I called everyone." He says angrily.
"Julio too I assume." She looks behind him. Andy looks over his shoulders and sees Julio standing there looking apologetically at Sharon. He had texted Andy when he had received a worried message from him. Whatever was going on he knew Sharon was not in danger, it was an argument between wife and husband. Andy closes the door on the younger Detective and looks at Sharon.
"Sharon I was scared something had happened to you." His voice is calmer now.
She looks at her desk, organizing the folders spread out on top. "So let me guess you expect me to wait at home and be an obedient wife. Just waiting for my husband like a good little girl." His eyes widen at the harshness in her voice.
"Cecile was on the verge of picking up a bottle, she needed help. I took her to a meeting. You can't possibly be jealous." He sighs heavily, her head jerks up and she glares at him. He immediately knows he's used the wrong words.
"No, I'm not jealous." She leans forward on her desk her voice eerily soft. "I am angry, infuriated." Her hands shake and her grip gets tighter. She looks through her window and sees Julio has left the murder room and she is grateful he is giving them their privacy.
"You're angry with me?" He looks confused and it ticks Sharon off even more, "For what? Taking care of a friend, saving her for making a mistake that could hurt her children and end her marriage." His breathing hasn't eased.
But she doesn't waist a minute to reply.
"Angry that you care more about her marriage than ours." Her words sting, his jaw opens and is left speechless. "I have been holding back for you. I don't need time to know that this is all a mistake but you need time so I gave it to you. I've been more than patient with your cold behavior toward me. I am done Andy, with this ridiculous idea of waiting. If you want time then take it, but I won't be sitting around till you're ready. Making you dinners like an idiot in hopes that it'll make you less angry for something I had no power over!" He stands straight and silent, her shouting still ringing loudly. She starts again her voice more controlled. "Because if you tell me I gave him reason to grab me the way he did then you are not the man I thought you were."
She stands up straight grabbing her belongings. He steps forward but she only stands straighter and he knows it's a warning. She walks to the other entrance of her office and leaves.
Those of you who are reviewing and leaving wonderful ideas. I hear you, they are coming. Mary is still around, I have a special chapter already written up for her in the future chapters. The grandchildren will come again. Thank you again for the feedback, suggestions and reviews.