A/N: This is the eleventh chapter! Special thanks to my amazing beta CMemlovr for beta reading! Please review for the next chapter! I hope you like it!
Sharon and Andy had returned to the office in a good mood, which was unfortunately cut short at the sight of Jack. Wondering what he might be up to, Sharon glanced at him coldly as she approached him.
"Jack," she greeted coolly, noting Andy's firm grip on her arm in an attempt to convey his support. "I was under the impression that we'd agreed that you would no longer bother me."
Smiling slyly, Jack replied, "I remember all too well-"
"Then I'm sure this will be of no surprise; leave now or be escorted out," gritted out Sharon, visibly shaking with fury.
"Calm down, Sharon. This can't be good for you or the baby," muttered Andy, audibly enough that Jack heard him.
"You're pregnant? How surprising," he commented, as though not terribly surprised at all, "Do Emily and Ricky know?"
"They are aware and happy for us," spat Sharon.
"Have you considered the implications to your own health?" asked Jack.
"My health and child are no concern of yours. Mind your own business, Jack," she retorted furiously.
Grinning smugly, Jack directed his response to Andy, thinly veiled mocking evident in his tone – "Maybe you should calm her down, Andy?"
"Read my lips, Jack: stay the hell away from Sharon," growled Andy before softening his tone and addressing Sharon, "Let's get to your office." He needed her to calm down, if not for her sake, then the baby's. Nodding shakily, she turned suddenly to face Jack once more.
"Oh, and Jack?" she seethed, "Go to hell."
********...********
A quarter of an hour later, Sharon hadn't succeeded much in calming down, fidgeting instead with the paperwork on her desk. Andy was concerned about the anxiety that had taken over once her rage had subsided.
"Sharon," he began soothingly, "calm down. You need to stop fidgeting."
Sharon shut the file with a furious snap. "I can't just calm down, Andy. Jack crossed a line out there, and I'm just so-" rage rendered her unable to articulate precisely how she felt.
Taking her hand, Andy murmured, "I understand, Sharon. I'm pissed, too, but you can't let that pig get to you. Letting him affect you in this way just means that he wins."
Sharon sighed before replying, "I know I promised that I'd be calmer, but I can't exactly keep that promise when new issues and irritations keep cropping up."
"I know, Sharon, but you can't let yourself get this worked up. You've already fainted once, I don't want to think about what might happen if you continue to get this stressed-"
Sharon dropped his hand and began to pace tensely. "You can say it, Andy. We both know what might happen – I could lose the baby."
"Please don't talk about it so brazenly, Sharon," he pleaded, "Nothing will happen to the baby if you just remain calm."
"As much as it pains me to admit this, Jack was right: the pregnancy poses several risks to my health and the baby's."
Andy looked her in the eye, stopping her from pacing. "Yes, the pregnancy is a risky one, but you can't think about it like that, in terms of what might go wrong," he replied hoarsely. "We just need to forget that Jack ever reared his ugly head here," he smiled gently, smoothing away the tears on her cheeks.
"I'm sorry – maybe I'm being overly sensitive," she whispered, hugging him tightly.
"It's all going to work out," he reassured her, rubbing her back comfortingly.
A sudden knock forced Sharon and Andy apart reluctantly.
"Sorry to interrupt, Captain," began Amy, embarrassed, "but the victim's mother is here."
"What's the problem?" asked Sharon wearily.
"She's refusing to believe that her daughter is dead," replied Amy, sadness and sympathy creeping into her tone.
"Here we go," muttered Andy.
"We'll be with you shortly," stated Sharon. Nodding with understanding, Amy turned and left.
"You sure about doing this, Sharon? Notifications are always stressful," intoned Andy, displeased.
"I'm sure, Andy. You're going to help me with the notification."
Andy nodded in assent, and they made their way towards the victim's mother, who had been seated in an interview room with Sykes and Provenza.
"Ah, Captain, this is Mrs. Madison, Caroline's mother," stated Amy, indicating the woman sat beside her.
"Mrs. Madison, I'm Captain Raydor," greeted Sharon kindly.
"Where is my daughter? What happened to my Caroline?!" asked the woman, nearing hysteria.
Andy stepped in protectively, taking Sharon's arm.
"Please calm down, Mrs. Madison. We investigated your daughter's murder and apprehended her killer," interjected Andy, sympathetic towards the mother but prioritising Sharon's safety.
"It's not true," sobbed Mrs. Madison, "she can't be dead."
"I am truly sorry for your loss," Sharon sympathised.
"No, I can't accept that-"
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Madison," repeated Sharon consolingly.
"Amy, can you take over?" whispered Andy urgently, "I'm going to get Sharon out."
Amy nodded and proceeded to console Mrs. Madison.
"What are you doing, Andy?" hissed Sharon.
Pulling her away, Andy replied, "this situation is too stressful, Sharon. You shouldn't be doing this in your condition."
"It's nothing I can't handle, Andy. The woman just lost her daughter; she has every right to be so upset."
Taking her hand, Andy led her away from the interview room silently.
"Who's going to handle Mrs. Madison?"
"Provenza and Sykes can take care of her," replied Andy quietly. Sharon nodded, allowing Andy to lead her to her office.
********...********
The day seemed to drag on forever. Removing her glasses, Sharon rubbed her eyes gently and leaned away from her desk. All of the problems she'd dealt with had just become…overwhelming. Fear had been threatening to drown her all day, but she needed to make good on her promise to Andy and Andrea to remain calm. Deciding that she needed some reassurance, Sharon decided to call Andrea to arrange a meeting.
About an hour later, she sat tensely in a café, awaiting Andrea's arrival.
"Sharon," greeted Andrea quietly, sitting beside her.
"Thanks for meeting me," replied Sharon gratefully, exhaustion evident in her features.I
"What's wrong?" asked Andrea worriedly.
Sharon breathed in deeply before responding. "You'll never guess who came to see me this morning."
"Jack?" guessed Andrea, correctly.
"Got it in one," Sharon confirmed grimly.
"What was that idiot doing trying to see you again?" asked Andrea, seething.
"Hell if I know," groaned Sharon, "I told him to stay away from me!" she growled with frustration.
"I know you did," replied Andrea consolingly, "How did Andy react?"
"He's been pissed all day. He had to calm me down first, though," admitted Sharon ashamedly. At Andrea's expression, she ploughed on, "I know I promised to keep calm, but with the latest round of problems, it's been easier said than done."
Andrea took her hand comfortingly, "I'm sure it has been, Sharon. You just have to work at it – and you're lucky to have Andy supporting you through it all."
Sharon smiled, "I know I am. Andy has been amazing."
Andrea grinned in response, "So what is there to worry about?"
Her smile fading, Sharon replied, "I just – I have the strongest feeling that I'm going to lose this baby."
Hushing her, Andrea said, "You can't think so fatalistically, Sharon. Once that baby is born healthy, you'll see that you needn't have worried."
Andrea's support helped Sharon to think, and gave her the courage to face her irrational fear.
********...********
Thankfully, the evening was a much more relaxed affair. Sharon and Andy had had dinner together while Rusty was away with friends for a few days. His absence made Sharon uneasy – a fact that didn't escape Andy's notice.
Sidling closer to her on the couch, Andy broke the comfortable silence between them, "Are you okay, Sharon?"
Smiling softly, she replied, "I'm fine. Stop worrying."
"You can tell me to, but I can tell that you're still worrying about Rusty."
"I know he's with friends, but I can't help worry about him," admitted Sharon with a sigh.
"He's eighteen, Sharon. I'm pretty sure he can handle being alone with friends – don't worry."
"To a mother, the age of their child is irrelevant," chuckled Sharon as Andy kissed her forehead.
"I understand that – I still worry about Nicole, sometimes."
Sharon smiled up at him, "It's just part of being a parent, I guess."
"That it is," Andy agreed, placing his hand on her belly. "Speaking of Nicole – I share her curiosity. Are you sure that we have to wait until the baby is born to find out the sex?"
"Yep," replied Sharon with a smirk, "I want to be surprised, which means we both have to wait."
"I understand, I just wish we could start figuring out a name," said Andy honestly. The fact that their child didn't even have a possible name made him somewhat uncomfortable.
"If it means that much to you, we can start picking out names that we like for boys and girls so that by the time the baby's born, we'll have a name ready," replied Sharon softly.
Andy kissed her chastely, "I love you."
"I love you too," she responded easily, "how about we choose the names this evening, then?" she suggested with a smile.
"It's going to be hard to pick just one name per gender," warned Andy.
"I know, but you're the one who's insisting on picking names now," retorted Sharon, laying her head in his lap. Smiling, he put his hand back on her belly, his smile widening when she covered his hand with her own
"Okay, for a boy: how about Claudio?" suggested Andy.
Sharon frowned, "No."
"Austin?"
"Definitely not."
"Damon?"
"Seriously, Andy?"
"Do you have any preference?" asked Andy hopelessly.
Sharon laughed, "I've always like the name Daniel."
"I like it," replied Andy, "see? Why are you being difficult?" he teased. "How about for a girl?"
"I like the name Kate," smiled Sharon, "Kate Flynn has a nice ring to it."
"It does," grinned Andy, "It's a beautiful name."
"I have an appointment tomorrow. You're coming with me, right?" asked Sharon abruptly.
"Of course I am. "
"Hey, Andy?"
"Yeah?" he replied contentedly.
"What do you want?"
"I'm sorry?"
"Oh, I meant – do you want a boy or a girl?"
Laughing, Andy replied, "It doesn't make a difference, Sharon. I just want them to be healthy."
Sharon grinned, "I knew you'd say that. I really do want to know what you want," she persisted.
Sighing, Andy replied, "If I'm honest, I've imagined what having another daughter might be like…"Sharon smiled, and he continued, "but that doesn't mean that I'll be disappointed if we have a son. It doesn't make a difference."
"Why a daughter?" she asked curiously.
"Because I'd like a child with your green eyes and bright smile. I want to look at her and see you every time," replied Andy honestly, pressing his lips to her forehead.
"I've also pictured having another daughter," admitted Sharon, "only in my mind, she has brown eyes."
"Brown?"
"Like yours," confessed Sharon, "so that I can see you in her eyes. I want the warmth of your eyes to be hers, too."
"You can't even imagine how happy I am with you, right now, in this moment," he stated softly, and completely out of the blue.
"Me too, Andy," replied Sharon, stifling a contented yawn.
"Are you tired, Sharon?"
"A little," she replied sheepishly.
"Let's get to bed, then."
Sharon was too tired to resist, and nodded in agreement.
********...********
The next morning, Sharon suddenly noticed that her baby bump had become far more visible. She stood in front of the mirror, scrutinising it from every angle as Andy busied himself for their departure in the other room. A sudden burst of anger flared up in her, and she pounded her fist into her bedside table, irritated by her appearance. Hearing the sudden noise, Andy rushed to Sharon's side.
"Is everything all right, Sharon?" he asked tentatively, worried for her.
"Does it look like everything is all right?" she fumed.
"What's wrong?"
"I've begun to show properly."
Andy sighed, "What's wrong with that? You're pregnant!"
"I'm going to be huge soon," she replied sourly.
"Is that why you got angry?"
"How many people will find it funny that a woman my age is very obviously pregnant, do you think?" she seethed.
"Why would people find it funny?"
"Well, I'm a little old to be pregnant, aren't I?"
"No, you're not. There are women who have been pregnant much older than you," replied Andy, attempting to reassure her.
"So? I haven't been pregnant sine Ricky – and that was when I was young enough to bounce back after the birth. My body's going to change, and you won't – you'll-"
"You are the only woman in this world for me, Sharon. Yes, your body's going to change, and I'll love you all the more for it because you're carrying my child."
Sharon's irrational anger subsided, and she smiled in thanks. "Sometimes my emotions get the better of me," she admitted sheepishly, "it's part of the pregnancy, unfortunately."
"I know," he assured her, "and, in case you were wondering: I'm looking forward to the time when you're showing even more," he smiled softly.
"Thanks," chuckled Sharon a little wetly, "but we should get going."
"Yes, we should. The doctor won't wait forever, and we need to make sure that the baby's developing healthily."
'You're right – let's head out," instructed Sharon.
Andy took her hand in his, and they walked to the hospital together.
~~~ TBC ~~~