A/N: Hello, everyone! I am so sorry for taking so long to update, but life can be very busy and I wasn't able to focus on this story! Hopefully, I will have more time now to focus on the story and update as regularly as I can! We have a few more chapters before we end this story! I hope you like this chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except from the idea and the characters that I created.
The first thing he was aware of was a sharp pain coming from his left side and that his head was hurting. The second thing he was aware of was a constant beeping that was coming from his left and he assumed that he must be in a hospital. Slowly, he opened his eyes and took a couple of minutes to adjust to the whiteness of the room. He looked at his left but only found a couple of machines that were keeping track of his vitals. Slowly, he turned his head to the right and stopped. There was a sofa in the corner of the room but his attention was caught by the people on it.
Andy was sitting in the middle with his head on the back of the sofa and his eyes closed. Sharon was sitting at his left with her head on his shoulder, her right hand was holding his left while her other hand was resting on her baby bump. On Andy's right side was Emily. She had her head on his shoulder as well and her right arm wrapped around his arm. He smiled weakly at the scene before him but it faded when he noticed that both his mother and his sister had dark circles under their eyes. He tried to sit up a little but a sharp pain coming from his left side made him cry in pain.
His cry of pain woke them up and made them aware that Rusty had finally woken up. He was grabbing his side with his hand as he whimpered in pain. "Oh, honey.", Sharon was immediately at his side. "Andy, can you please call the nurse?", she watched as her husband left quickly and turned her attention on her son. "Rusty, try not to move.", she told him as her heart broke watching him be in pain.
"Too late, mom.", he took deep breaths to control his breathing and it seemed to help a little.
"Don't worry, honey. They will give you something to help with the pain.", she rubbed his hand with one hand while with the other she pulled back his hair.
The door opened and Andy came in with the nurse who went straight to Rusty and put something in his IV to help him with the pain. She checked his vitals and wrote something on a paper. After a couple of minutes she turned her attention on him and smiled. "Everything looks good. I will inform the doctor that you woke up and she will come to see you as soon as possible.", the nurse left them and they turned their attention on Rusty.
"How do you feel, son?", Andy asked him worried.
"A little better now that the nurse gave me something.", he smiled at them and closed his eyes for a moment. He tried to remember what had happened that resulted in him being in the hospital. He turned his attention on his mother and smiled weakly at her. "How is my little sister?", he placed his hand on her baby bump to feel her but she wasn't moving.
"She was moving a lot about an hour ago but apparently she is sleeping now.", Sharon placed her hand on top of her son's and smiled. She was now five months but she felt like she was already seven months. She was much bigger than she had been in her previous pregnancies. They had learned about two weeks ago that they were going to have a baby girl. They were all over the moon.
"Oh, I was hoping that she would greet her brother now that I am awake.", he smiled widely when he felt a little kick right where his hand was. "Hello, there.", he looked up at his mother and noticed that she had tears in her eyes.
"She must have recognized your voice.", she told him as she felt her baby daughter moving inside her.
A few moments later the doctor came in the room with a smile and went to stand to the left side of the bed. "Well, Rusty we are happy to see you awake.", she checked his pulse and then looked at him. "I will ask you some questions now.", she looked at his family around him and then back at Rusty. "Can you guess what day we have today?", it was one of the standard questions every doctor asked when the patient was asleep for more than two days.
"Well, after noticing a few things I would say that we have Friday.", he guessed and looked at the doctor.
"You are right.", she smiled widely at him. "Do you remember what happened? Why you are in the hospital?", she wanted to figure out what he could remember.
"I stepped in front of my mother to protect her and I got shot.", he said as he looked at Sharon with a weak smile. "What happened to her?", he wasn't concerned but curious.
"She died, Rusty.", Sharon told him simply. She knew that she couldn't lie to him and she wouldn't lie to him.
"What happened?", he wanted to know everything.
"Mike and Julio had their second guns with them. They took them out when they saw that she had a gun. They fired when she shot you. She died a few minutes after the paramedics arrived for the two of you.", Andy explained to him. He knew that Rusty worked better if he knew all the facts.
"So, she won't bother us again?", he looked at his family worried.
"No, honey. Don't worry. She won't bother us again.", Sharon took hold of his hand and smiled at him reassuringly. It was what he needed in order to relax.
"Sleep, Rusty. We will here when you wake up. Don't worry, little bro.", Emily grinned at her brother and watched him as he closed his eyes.
Sharon started brushing his hair softly and gently, something that always soothed him and lulled him to sleep, especially when he was sick. Now, it comforted him and made him feel safe and loved by his family. In a few minutes he was asleep with a smile on his face.
"Mom.", Sharon turned her attention to her daughter and smiled. "Why don't you go home for a couple of hours? You can have a shower and sleep for a little while in your bed.", she saw the look of worry on her mother's face. "Mom, he is alright. You won't do any good if you get sick as well. Think of the baby.", she knew that would make her go home for a couple of hours.
"Alright.", she looked at her daughter with a pointed look. "I don't want you to leave him alone.", she looked at her son for a moment before turning her attention towards her daughter again.
"I promise, mom.", she smiled reassuringly at her.
"Alright.", she stood up and stopped as she felt a little light-headed.
"Are you alright, mom?", Emily went quickly to her side and took hold of her hands.
"I just stood up very quickly.", she smiled weakly at her daughter and slowly she walked towards her husband.
"Let's get you home, love.", he placed his jacket on her shoulders and supported her against him by wrapping one arm around her and holding her hand with his other hand. "Emily, call us if you need anything.", he looked at her with a pointed look.
"I will. I promise. Try to rest as much as possible.", she watched as they walked out of the room and sat down with a sigh.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-
A week had passed since Rusty woke up for the first time and he was doing very well, but he was still at the hospital as the doctors wanted to monitor him closely before deciding to release him. They all had decided to take turns to stay with him at the hospital. Rusty had insisted on his mother spending at the most four or five hours with him because of her condition. He didn't want to be the cause of a complication with the pregnancy. He wanted both his mother and baby sister alive and healthy.
Sharon was sitting in his hospital room waiting for Rusty and Emily to come back from their walk. He had started taking walks in the corridors when the doctor had told him that if he could walk without getting very tired he would release him. He would go for a walk with Emily in the morning and with Andy or Ricky in the afternoon. Sometimes if Sharon was there, she went with them. She hoped that the doctors would release him soon as she knew that if he stayed a few more days he would start shouting.
Emily opened the door for Rusty to get in and they both stopped upon seeing their mother sitting next to the bed. She was smiling and rubbing softly her baby bump. She looked to peaceful and happy. They looked at each other with a knowing smile and turned their attention back to their mother. "Mom!", Rusty walked slowly towards her.
"Hi!", she stood up slowly and remembered that soon she was going to need help to stand up. "How did it go?", she watched as her daughter helped Rusty sit down on the bed and smiled.
"Very good.", Emily said with a reassuring smile. "He is getting better and better every day.", she sat down next to her brother.
"I just hope that the doctor will release me. I had enough of the hospital, I want my home.", he looked at his mother who was smiling at him.
"I know, honey. I think that with you doing so very well, they may release you soon.", she squeezed his hand.
At that moment the door opened and the doctor along with a nurse entered the room. Emily stood up and helped her brother settle in the bed before going to stand behind her mother. "Good morning, everyone.", the doctor greeted them cheerfully. "Let's see how are you today.", for the next couple of minutes the doctor and the nurse checked Rusty.
"I would like to go home.", Rusty told her when she finished with her examination.
"Well, Rusty.", she looked at his mother and sister before looking at him. "It's your lucky day. You will go home today.", she smiled at him. "Once your mother has signed the necessary papers, you will be able to go.", she looked at the nurse with a nod.
"What do we have to do at home, doctor?", Sharon asked knowing that there would be instructions for them.
"For a couple of days I want you in bed rest. You can take small walks in the house, go to the bathroom, eat with your family in the dining room, sit with them to watch TV or to talk. I don't want you to do any other exercise or to lift anything for a week at least. Along with your release papers, the nurse will give you a prescription with pain killers.", he casted a knowing look at Rusty who nodded with a smile. "If you need to ask anything else, I will be in my office.", the doctor turned and left the room.
"See? You will come home.", Sharon smiled at her son and squeezed his hand.
"I can't wait to go home, mom. I couldn't stand another day here. I will be more comfortable there.", he sighed in relief and smiled at his mother and sister. "I don't want you to say anything to Andy or the team, yet.", he watched as they looked at him with confusion.
"Why?", Sharon was confused and curious now. "They will be very happy to know that you are going home.", she looked at her daughter and then at her son again.
"I want to surprise them, mom. I was hoping that we could pass from there for a few minutes before going home.", he watched as his mother sighed in relief and smiled at him.
"We will go to see them for a few minutes and I will be driving.", Emily said with a smile and put a hand up when her mother was ready to protest. "It's not up for discussion, mom.", she was every bit as stubborn as her mother.
About two hours later everything was ready for Rusty to leave the hospital. The nurse gave Sharon a prescription with the pain killers for them to buy on their way home. Emily carried the bag with his things while Sharon was holding his arm to keep them both steady as they walked slowly to the car. They helped him get in the car in front and then Emily helped her mother get in the back. They stopped to get the medicine and headed to the PAB.
The team was gathered in the murder room searching evidence or clues about their newest case. They had to admit that it was a little difficult and they didn't have Sharon to help them. They had to work by themselves as she would join them later after leaving from the hospital. However, at the sound of the familiar heels they all looked up with a smile. Andy looked at his watch and frowned.
A minute later Sharon appeared in the murder room with a smile.
"Good morning, everyone.", she greeted them and went straight to her husband who waited with open arms. She sighed in relief upon smelling his perfume.
"What are you doing here, honey? Is everything alright with Rusty?", he asked her worried that something happened.
"Everything is alright, Andy.", they all looked up when they heard a voice that they hadn't heard in a while. "Hi, guys.", Rusty waved and smiled at them.
"Why didn't you tell me that he would be released today?", Andy asked his wife curious and confused.
"Andy, don't get upset with mom. I asked mom and Emily to keep it a secret because I wanted to surprise all of you.", Rusty defended his mother and sister immediately. "We only learned today that they would release me.", he explained with a smile and a sigh of relief.
"We brought lunch for everyone.", Emily said as she placed a few bags on an empty desk. "We will stay for lunch with all of you and then I am taking these two… ", she pointed at her mother and brother, "…home.", she put a hand up when she saw them ready to protest. "It's not up for discussion. The doctor said that you need to rest plenty for a couple of days.", she pointed at her brother. "The same goes for you, mom.", she looked at her mother with a stern look that had everyone else chuckling.
"There's two of them.", Louie was looking at her with open mouth.
"Welcome to our world!", Andy and Rusty said to the older man with smiles on their faces.
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To Be Continued…