Many apologizes for taking so long to update. That is why I left a warning on the previous chapter. I know now I probably shouldn't have ended the way I did if I was going to have such a long break. Here is the next chapter. Thank you for your patience and all the wonderful reviews. Please let me know what you think.
Her hands apply pressure to his wound. She can feel the noise all around her but everything is quiet. The paramedics arrive and move her aside taking over. She is on her knees watching as Andy's shirt is being cut through with scissors. Someone is connecting wires to him and others are standing over them writing.
A touch finally makes her react. Provenza grabs her by her shoulder to help her up but she collapses a little in pain, so he holds her by both elbows and gives her more support. If he's saying something to her, she hasn't the faintest idea.
They put Andy on the stretcher and raise him, walking towards a narrow flight of steps. She doesn't even remember coming down them. In fact she lets Provenza guide her, not knowing what turn she needs to take at the top of the steps.
She feels herself shaking, but she can't control it. She touches her forehead to wipe sweat and Sykes appears pulling her arms down. She is saying something but she can only see her lips moving. And shakes her head in confusion.
Provenza looks at her and shows her; her own hands. They are filled with blood and suddenly this is as if the mute button was pushed again so the words could be heard. Screaming, sirens, orders, the water, people, camera flashes she can hear it all. Suddenly she wishes it all to go back to the silence.
"Captain are you alright, Captain?" Sykes asking worried.
"Yes, yes Detective." She is still looking at her hands trembling.
"Come, come Captain." She feels Provenza move her and helps her hunch down at the edge of the dock, putting her hands in the water.
He moves her hands in and out of the water then begins rubbing off the blood, she too scrubs vigorously. Almost in panic. He takes out a handkerchief and wets it and cleans her forehead. Where she had moments ago stained with blood. She realizes now what Sykes was telling her.
She swallows deep in her throat. "Thank you Lieutenant." She can feel her body finally reacting. Then her mind.
"I need to go with Lieutenant Flynn." She turns around. "Detective please stop the ambulance." She tells Sykes.
Sykes runs. She turns back to Provenza. "Can you take over Lieutenant? I'm not even sure what happened to Doe?" She shakes her head in confusion.
Provenza frowns at her. "Captain, Sanchez said he tried attacking you as you passed both of them. You don't remember? Are you alright?"
"I don't remember and no I'm not alright Lieutenant. Andy is unconscious in an ambulance and I'm covered in his blood." She reacts again. " I need to go."
"Yes go Captain. I got everything under control." He gives her a weak smile.
She moves quickly, jumping onto the front of the ambulance as the paramedics continue working on Andy in the back.
They arrive at the hospital and she follows them, Andy is taken in quickly and Sharon is stopped at the swinging doors promised to have an update soon.
She stares at the swinging doors for a few minutes. Then she takes a seat, drowning her face into her hands. Minutes pass and she begins to pace the waiting room.
"For a Lieutenant Andy Flynn." Sharon moves towards the nurse quickly.
"Yes."
"Are you family?"
"No, no. I am his...his boss. I am Captain Sharon Raydor." She says her voice shaking.
"Captain, yes they told us you helped stop the bleeding. He has a gun shot wound to his left arm, which you already know." Sharon has no idea where he was shot, just that her hands were covered in his blood. "The doctor is going to remove the bullet immediately. It'll be a couple of hours." Sharon wants to ask her something but nothing comes out.
So she nods, "Thank you."
"Were you injured?" The nurse looks at her concerned.
"No it's not my blood its...it's..it's the lieutenants." Sharon says looking at her shirt covered in blood.
"Are you sure, you look like you are in shock. Let me get a nurse to check you. A person can have so much adrenaline they don't realize they are wounded till much later." Sharon shakes her head but in fact knows this to be true, from early.
"Captain please, the Lieutenant is in good hands as soon as I have someone help you I'll get an update on him for you and come back." The nurse puts a hand on her shoulder for reassurance.
"Thank you." Sharon walks with the nurse. She gets taken to a small room and asked tons of questions that she could only assume she answered correctly or satisfactorily since the new nurse only smiles and nods.
She is examined and the nurse pokes and presses on her abdomen were she is awfully bruised and causes terrible pain. She is sent for x-rays. Sharon doesn't want to go in fear that the other nurse won't find her, but can't find her words to express herself.
She is finally brought back where a doctor examines her and takes a look at her X-rays. Sharon ignores the doctor as she sees the nurse pass by her room an then return.
"There you are Captain. Sorry Doctor, just bringing her an update. Th Lieutenant is still in surgery it should be about another hour but he is doing well. It didn't do any major harm." Sharon gives a sigh of relief. And holds her chest in pain.
"Exactly, what I was about to tell you Captain." The doctor says. "You have two broken ribs there." He points at her ribs. Sharon closes her eyes expecting all of this to be abad joke. She doesn't want to hear anymore bad news, when is it going to end.
The doctor sees her expression. "Yes I'm sorry. But this is bruising on the outside but is broken ribs inside. The good news is that there is no surgery involved but the bad news is it's painful recovery. You will be on pain medication until it is resolved. It's about three to six weeks of recovery and healing." Sharon feels heavier and heavier every minute as if everything is slowly crumbling.
"Come in to my office." He hands her a card. "In three weeks and we will see where you are. But don't be afraid of the pain medication. You will need it. If you it's getting worse rather than better, cal me immediately. Any questions?"
"Can I go now?" She asks quickly.
The doctor smiles. And nods while writing a prescription handing to the nurse who is still there. "Mary here will fill that up for you for three weeks worth. All right?"
"Yes, thank you." Sharon says.
She walks out with the nurse. "Mary is your name?"
"Yes, I'm sorry I thought I had told you." The nurse tells her.
"You probably did I..."
"When shock gets us. It takes over us completely." Mary helps her finish. "You know there are few people in the waiting room worried about you and the Lieutenant, it's nice to see such a great team." She adds smiling.
"Yeah they're great." Sharon thinks of everything they had done and she hadn't taken the time to thank them, she feels guilty.
"You know I'm not sure everyone's boss would be willing to wait through a surgery." Mary adds.
"Well...um." Sharon doesn't know what to say. But imagines her voice, face and attitude says it all.
"Oh I see." The nurses words filled of understanding. They arrive at the waiting room and everyone looks up as she walks in.
"Please Mary, no one.."
"My lips are sealed. I'll get you your medication and another update, Hun." She leaves.
She walks to everyone who now are all standing.
"What happened Captain?" Someone asks her but she sees Rusty and smiles and takes the seat next to him, he sits too.
"They said he should be out in about an hour from surgery." She looks at Rusty.
"You eat yet?" He nods at her.
"Captain?" Sykes says. She turns. "We were asking about you." She looks at all of them and sees all of their worries and for the first time in all these hours she feels grounded and safe, with family.
"Oh. I'm sorry. I am fine. Just have two broken ribs. So I will be on mend for awhile. Thank you." She smiles.
They all admire how she sticks so strong, not cracking under anything but all she wants to do is scream in anger and cry of worry and hopes no one can see this through her tired eyes.
"Captain." She hears Mary's voice. She stands up to quickly and falls back into her seat. They all rush to help her but Rusty gives her support first.
"Thank you." She smiles at him.
"Yes?"
"Captain you need to be careful." Sharon nods. "Lieutenant Andy Flynn is out of surgery. The doctor will be out shortly but it went well. Look there he is." She points towards the doctor.
"Hello." The doctor shakes everyone's hands. "So the Lieutenant was shot to the left arm, hitting him in between the elbow and shoulder. We took it out, there was no damage, but it'll be some therapy for recovery, a few weeks on a sling. Our worry now is waiting for him to wake up."
Sharon closes her eyes taking a deep breath. Grunting in pain. Mary giving her a hand to stand straight.
"What do you mean doctor?" Sharon asks.
"Well his test results show a heavy dose of injected tranquilizers and his body is responding negatively toward it. Whatever the kidnapper injected him with, he did it with a heavy hand." Provenza curses in anger. "We just have to wait till he wakes up. That's all we can do."
They all stay motionless and quiet.
"There are no visitors allowed so I suggest you all go home. He's in good hands and from the sounds of the report you've all had a long day." He leaves leaving them all in worry.
Mary releases Sharon. "I will be right back."
Sharon doesn't make anything of this comment and she feels like this is all a nightmare. She sits down. Drowning her face into her palms, shaking.
"Captain." She looks up, it is Mary again.
Everyone looks at her so the nurse is careful with her words.
"I have permission for one person to see the Lieutenant." She looks carefully at Sharon.
"Who's going in Buzz asks?" They all look at each other.
"Lieutenant Provenza. I think you should go in." Sykes chimes in.
Provenza looks at Sharon who is sitting at the edge of her seat not willing to give this up.
"Captain, if you don't mind I think you should go in." Provenza says a shimmer in his eyes.
"No, no I don't mind at all. Thank you Lieutenant." She smiles at him and follows Mary not wanting to have everyone read her or debate it.
She is welcomed by beeps. Wires and tubes running in multiple directions. His chest rising softly up and down. Andy lays flat on the bed pale like her and unconscious like she wishes she was.
"Only a few minutes Hun." Mary says softly.
"Thank you Mary." She leaves.
She walks over to Andy and puts her hand on his cheek. She rubs it gently over and over.
"Andy. I need you to wake up." Her voice cracking.
She holds his hand and takes a seat next to him. She kisses his hand. She puts her head on it and closes her eyes. Her leg doesn't stop shaking, her eyes feel heavy and tired. Her body finally feels a sense of comfort when it hears Andy's familiar breathing. It ignores all the rustling outside and the beeping inside and only focus on his breathing. And exhaustion takes over, she falls asleep.
She awakes to Andy mumbling and grunting, trying to move minutes later. He isn't awake but is reacting. She pushes the nurse button and a nurse walks in. She checks him, gives him pain medicine to calm him down.
"That will help him relax." The nurse says as Mary walks in.
"You're awake. I saw you sleeping so I didn't wake you. Him moving is a good sign, he is conscious of what is going on now. But I'm afraid you have to go. I was only allowed to give you a few minutes." Mary tells her.
Sharon holds Andy's hand. "Please I can't leave him alone." A different kind of agony enters her.
"I'm sorry Hun I can get in a lot of trouble. We can try again later." Sharon nods and lets go of Andy's hand but Andy's heart rate goes up. The machines start beeping.
"What's going on?" Sharon worried.
The nurse goes to the machine and frowns. "Hold his hand Hun." Mary tells her. "And talk to him."
Sharon does as she's told. She reaches for his hand first and slowly his heart rate slows down. Sharon understands and she says, "I'm not leaving Andy I'm right here." It slowly returns to normal.
"Well I can't argue with that and neither can the doctor." The nurse says smiling. "He really loves you. I told you he knows what's going on. I'll be back in a few minutes with your prescription." She leaves after writing in Andy's chart.
Sharon sits down, holding his hand still.
"Andy? Please wake up for me. I need you with me." Her voice cracks.
She closes her eyes and rubs her thumb on his hand trying to let him know she's there and hopefully as a wake up call. She continues whispering. "Please wake up."
Mary comes and goes several times, checking in on both of them, finally bringing Sharon her medicine and she drinks it. But Sharon doesn't move from sitting by his side, holding his hand. She can feel the medication taking effect, letting her relax and breath better. Hours pass, with what seems to Sharon as hope slowly creeps away. She closes her eyes and once again prays.
"So did you get the bastard? She jolts at hearing his voice. It's deep, rough but weak.
"You're awake." She leans forward.
"You're talking." She stands up. Unconsciously moving her hand away from his, but he holds it. A relief comes over her, it's as if life returned to her body. She touches his face with her other hand.
"Please don't kill me." He says with a half smile. Sharon smiles remembering her threat to him at the factory.
"Not today. I've been waiting for you to wake up." She says moving her hand to his cheek.
He looks at his arm.
"Are you in pain?" She looks at him worried a tear coming down her eye.
"No, but I see that I missed an exciting part of my life." He says looking back at her.
"You have no idea." Her voice breaking.
He lets go of her hand bringing it up, she leans in and he cleans the tear from her face.
They don't say anything only look at each other carefully.
"Can you help me sit up?" He tells her.
"Let me call the nurse." She pushes the call button and Mary is almost there immediately.
"Hello there Lieutenant. I'm happy to see you awake, I need to ask you a few questions and ask you to wiggle some fingers and toes, then we can get you sitting." She goes through a routine, while Sharon watches from a distance. He can answer all of her questions till the factory. He doesn't remember the terrible hours after that. Which is almost a relief for Sharon.
"Alright Lieutenant. I am going to move you up slowly to sitting position but if you begin to strain, let me know so I can stop." He looks at Sharon in the corner and doesn't say stop. Mary sits him up completely.
Mary smiles at him, watching how intently he looks at Sharon. "So you've had quite a nurse here. She hasn't left your side even when she wasn't supposed to be here in the first place." She smiles and resumes writing in her chart.
"Also friends moving in and out in the waiting room."
"Rusty!" Sharon exclaims.
Both Mary and Andy look at her. "I left him out there. I need to go check on him." She starts heading out but looks back at Andy.
"No worries Captain, I'll check, can't let you back in if you leave." Mary winks at Andy and sets down his chart and goes.
"Thank you." Sharon stays near the door.
Andy and Sharon look at each other thoughtfully.
"Did you get hurt?" His voice still thick. She frowns, confused.
"Your shirt is full of blood." She looks at herself and for the first time remembers his blood on her. Clarity of the aftermath of everything finally comes through her. The things she ran past without knowing flash through her mind. Running to the boat, running into the other injured officer, meeting Sykes and her directing the way, Sanchez slamming Doe into a wall as they reached the steps. Then trying to run towards her, but she ran down the steps, to Andy's body. Dropping to her knees and holding his arm.
Her hands shake remembering them over Andy's body.
"No, no. I'm not.. It's not my.." She stops. Her voice and body tremble. "I'm going to check on Rusty." She says trying to not cry disaster in front of him. She motions to leave.
"Sharon." He says it forcefully that his voice is now clear.
She stops. "Come here, please." He says almost pleading.
She obeys wiping her tears from her face first. She reaches his bed and he holds out a hand. Her hand trembling, reaches for him and meets. He holds it tight, trying to calm her. She doesn't look at him only at their hands.
"Sharon, look at me." His voice quiet. She does. She is crying silently. But tears are flowing forcefully down her face.
His eyes drown in guilt. He pulls her gently to sit on the bed with him. She curls a leg under her and sits facing him on the corner of the bed. He lets go of her hand and wipes her face. Holding her hand again.
"I am sorry I broke my promise, I will never hurt you again." He says softly.
She raises her hand to his cheek. He looks at her deeply. "Forgive me?" He looks at her carefully.
She moves in and gives him a peck on the lips. Andy grabs hold of her back pulling her in tighter. She kisses him again.
Her mouth still on his lips she whispers, "I love you." He can feel the pain and relief of her words on him. As she kisses him again.
Then she pulls away keeping only a fragment of space between them. "You did nothing to hurt me." Her voice still filled of emotion. "I was scared I had lost you." Her hand in his hair.
His hand rubs her back up and down. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." He pulls her in and her head falls into his chest. Sharon's tears rushing through her. He keeps running his hand up and down her back. Sharon is crying from relief, frustration, anger, sadness, happiness, hope and out of love. She stops crying after a few minutes and sits up.
She gathers herself. "I'm sorry for being so emotional," she tells him as she has her fingers playing on his chest.
"I love you too." He tells her with a smile. "That means through tears and chasing murderers; I want all of you." He kisses her gently.
Someone clears their throat. Making Sharon stand quickly. It was nurse, Mary.
She has a smile on her face. "You may want to be careful in getting into that too quickly." She grins broadly. Sharon looks at Andy, who is giving Sharon a, how does she know look.
"I came to clean up that wound. And I say to take it slow for both of your injuries." She looks at Andy's machine. And writes in his chart.
"Both of our injuries?" He looks at Sharon.
Sharon's color drains a bit. Looking at Mary for help.
"Sorry Hun. I open my mouth too much." She continues removing bandages hoping to distract Andy. "I talked to a Lieutenant Provenza and a Detective Sanchez who informed me that Rusty left with a Lieutenant Tao to eat something and get some rest. He will take him to school in the morning too."
Sharon nods. "Thank you Mary. They are probably questioning why I'm still in here right?"
Mary finishes changing the bandages and throws all the other things out. "Actually not those gentleman but the others did. Especially one I expect was your boss. A Chief Taylor." Mary says hanging another bag of IV.
"Taylor was here." Andy says in a amused voice.
"He wanted to speak to the Captain here. He seemed very upset. But your team out there defended you and then I told him you had left. I hope that is okay." She says almost at the door.
"Yes, great Mary. Thank you. Oh and please call me Sharon. You've been a life saver today." She smiles at her.
"It's just my job. I'll be out in a few hours and hopefully you Lieutenant will be gone before I come in for my next shift. I'll miss you two, but you'll be more comfortable at home. The Doctor will be here for morning rounds." She leaves.
"Injuries?" Andy says.
Sharon was hoping he would forget. "It isn't anything serious. I'm just on pain medication." She moves closer to him.
"Where did you get hurt? How?" He looks at her carefully. She knows he isn't going to let it go.
She explains everything with detail, from the moment she had turned around to find him limp in Doe's arms at the factory, chasing after them, the car hitting her, to the hours in between with Rusty, to evading Taylor, to forgetting about how she was holding down on his wound, how Mary knew about them. How just moments ago she remembered everything. He listens trying to hear every detail.
"I missed more then I thought." He says. Anger in his voice. "That bastard!" He says forcefully.
She shrugs. "I'm glad you missed it." She smiles at him.
"Sharon, can you do me a favor?" He asks extending his arm to reach her hand and pulling her closer.
"Anything." she says smiling.
"Go home and rest." She frowns ready to shake her head. "You've had no rest. And I need you to please change your shirt." He looks at her carefully.
She understand how much it should affect him with all his blood is splattered on her. "Okay, but only to change I will be right back."
"No, no. Rest. Please. I am here, safe and healthy but I to need you to be safe and healthy too." He smiles at her small pursed lips.
"Okay I'll be back in a few hours." She finally agrees. Starting to move away from his bed.
"No, kiss first," he says begging. She smiles and brushes her hair behind her ear and leans in and kisses him lightly. Pulling back only a centimeter and smiling at him scrunching her nose and kissing him again. Her life seemed to be returning with every one of his words, smile, touches and kisses.
Sanchez tells her he will stay the rest of the night. Provenza drives her home and she thanks him for being so understanding. He shrugs. She takes this as him finally, completely accepting her and Andy.
She enters her apartment. Rusty rushing out of his room, giving her a gentle hug. This is the first time he initiated it. She smiles, he pulls out apologetic. She brushes his hair and smiles. Tells him he has nothing to apologize for. They talk for a short time, each exhausted and ready for sleep.
When she enters her bedroom, she feels alone and empty again, she undresses and takes a hot shower. Quickly putting on warm clothes and wrapping herself in a blanket, heading to the sofa. And laying there. Sharon closes her eyes, not being able to drown out the images of the factory of Andy's body.
She takes another pain medication and her phone rings. She walks to it quickly, worried.
"Did I wake you?" She hears Andy's voice on the other side and smiles.
"No. I can't sleep." She says taking a seat on the sofa. Wrapping herself up.
"I can't either. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." His voice tired.
"Can you sleep with me?" She says laying on the sofa. She can sense his confusion.
"I need to hear you. Stay on the line with me." She says softly.
He smiles and she knows it. "Alright." He says.
"Good night Beautiful."
"Good Night."
They both keep their phones on, Sharon falls asleep first. His breathing helps her feel safe and comfortable. He hears her drift of and he too falls asleep. The images of that day don't cross her mind once, she dreams that she's sleeping wrapped up in Andy's arms, their breathing synchronized, nothing but each others warmth embracing each other.