A/N: We're here- at the next-to-the-last chapter... Hope all of you enjoy it- your reviews are treasured greatly, and I thank all of you!

CHAPTER 29

Balmy and gentle trade breezes, billowed the sheer window curtains, and if one listened very carefully, one could hear the distant call of the ocean.

Sharon smiled, as she watched her lover sleep beside her. She'd been robbed of such a sight the day before, when he'd risen easy to go into the station, and twenty years before, when he'd gone for an early swim in the ocean.

But now, the moment was all hers, and Sharon relished every second if it.

His tan skin was oh-so delicious, against the ivory sheets, and she could tell that he was dreaming behind his closed eyelids. Sharon couldn't help but wonder what scenes were playing inside his subconscious.

Her own dreams had been wonderfully vivid, and filled with him and their combined families.

Sharon hummed as she watched Castillo's strong and even breaths. A lone orchid petal clung to his mustache, and she deftly plucked it away before he could find it upon waking.

Damn, but he was pretty.

It wasn't fair that a man could have such dark and long eyelashes.

She was about to kiss him, and then his low voice startled her.

"Are you watching me sleep?"

"Uh huh."

"Frak me, but I was hoping to do the same thing with you!"

They kissed, as he pulled her closer into the circle of his arms, and entwined their legs.

Both agreed that the night before, had been like no other. And the day ahead of them was to be a very close rival.

Sharon fingered the gold St. Christopher that Castillo still wore, as her eyes fell on his scarred chest. "I'm glad that you still wear this."

"Always," he replied while lazily nuzzling her hair. "My grandmother threatened to haunt me if I didn't."

"She and Chris, kept you safe the day you were shot."

"Yes."

"Is there still time to make Sunday Mass at your parish?"

"They have several. We can even pick up Rusty, from the hotel, and we can make a family thing of it."

"Kara doesn't go?"

Castillo frowned. "She does, but when she married Lee, she threw herself in with the Anglicans."

Sharon stifled a laugh, and kissed her lover's pouting mouth. "At least they accept divorce."

He arched a brow at that.

"Would you ever consider... converting?"

"If the right man came along... possibly."

On that note, the lovers adjourned to Castillo's newly renovated bathroom, and made good and long use of the luxurious shower for two– and the built in bench beneath the rainfall showerhead.

Amid the steam and the lather, she shaved him...

And then he shaved her...

Together, they ended up getting almost as messy as they had been before, and had to wash each other, all over again.

It was very companionable, as the lovers continued to ready themselves for the day. Sharon re-dressed in her clothes from the day before, while Castillo chose a new pair of jeans and a black linen shirt from his closet.

She did her make-up, and styled her hair with a dryer that belonged to Kara...

He swept up all the browning orchid petals...

And together, they changed the sheets, and re-made the bed...

Somehow, the lovers made it out the door, to go pick up Rusty from the hotel.

Along the way, Sharon completed their check-out process, via an app on her phone, as Castillo drove. Both lovers could not stop smiling at each other, and the sight of them together made the waiting Rusty smile too.

Dutifully, he helped Castillo load the luggage into the security covered bed of the cop's truck.

Their little group made it to the church, just in time to make confession before the next Mass.

Rusty would've given his eye-teeth to have known what his mother and Castillo each confessed, and had trouble keeping a straight face during the service, as he sat with them both.

After the Mass ended, Sharon and Castillo lit candles for each of their children– both on earth and in heaven.

"Did you give her a name?" Castillo asked quietly of Sharon, as they walked out of the church, hand-in-hand.

The woman paused briefly, as her heart ached. "It was very early in my pregnancy... but, yes."

"And?"

"You might laugh."

Castillo looked at her with an expression of honest and pure love. "Never."

Sharon felt her cheeks turn pink. "Persephone."

Her lover rolled his lips inward, as he attempted to retain his composure.

"When I was in my Junior year of high school, I was very much into Greek Mythology, and read Dante's Inferno from cover-to-cover. And yes, it sounds like one of those ridiculous names celebrities give their poor, innocent babies, but I always liked the sound of it. Persephone Jane O'Dwyer-Castillo."

Castillo gave it some thought, nodded, and then kissed Sharon tenderly. "I love it, almost as much as I love you," he said against her lips.

Rusty, deaf to all that had been said, teased the lovers unmercifully.

"Are you guys just gonna stand there all day and make out, or are we gonna get something to eat?"

And so they adjourned to a nearby sidewalk café, and partook in a leisurely and delicious Sunday Brunch.

Rusty, who sat opposite the lovers, had never seen his mother so carefree. As the warm Miami sun played on Sharon's features, she looked a good decade younger– if not more. Martin Castillo was extremely good for her, and she was for him as well. The two debated, agreed, and disagreed– all with great passion and love.

He wanted to keep these moments with him, forever.

Over the course of their brunch, they dined on platters of breakfast bruchetta– toasted bread smeared with soft goat cheese, topped with scrambled eggs and capers, and healthy and delicious acai bowls. Sharon sipped on a passion fruit mimosa, while her men drank iced tea with fresh sugar cane. Pictures were taken, and a good time was had by all.

Later, they cruised the misted sidewalks of Ocean Drive– window shopping at all of the pricey stores, and messed around on the bustling boardwalk of Miami Beach.

Somehow, Rusty talked Castillo into buying a genuine Panama hat. All three of them took turns wearing it, and both guys agreed that Sharon looked best in the straw fedora.

They took in art galleries of all types, and enjoyed various street performers along the way.

At one point, they came upon a popular and respected tattoo shop, and Sharon shocked both her son and lover by leaving them on the sidewalk to duck inside...

Thirty minutes later, she greeted them with a smile, as they drank frozen lemonades across the street.

"What'd you get, Mom?" Rusty asked.

"And where'd you get it?" Castillo begged to know.

Sharon smiled sweetly, and kissed them both– before stealing her lover's drink, and walking on without confession.

Later, and after much prodding, Castillo gave Sharon and Rusty a tour of his workplace, and then proudly drove them to a number of the Casa Mia house projects. Rusty already knew some of kids at work, thanks to his new best friend, Kat, and Sharon was quite taken with how easily he interacted with them, and how they all admired Martin Castillo.

As darkness fell, and the day was nearly over, they had one more Must to check off on their list...

An authentic Cubano.

Neither Sharon, nor Rusty, had ever had one of the famed sandwiches before. And so, Castillo took them to a tiny place that he knew, near the airport.

And it was the best thing ever eaten.

Knowing that their time together was limited, Sharon and Castillo took their time as they walked back to his truck. Rusty went on ahead, while texting their progress to Sykes and Provenza, who were to meet them at the airport to fly home together.

"Word is that you're going to be retiring soon," Sharon noted as Castillo tucked an arm around her.

"This is true," he replied quietly.

"Do you have... plans?"

"That depends."

Sharon stopped, then faced him.

Castillo swallowed, as what he was going to say had been weighing on him greatly.

"Leland is moving his start-up to Los Angeles. His partner is based there, and they both feel that it would be good for the business, so Lee, Kara, Kacey... and Louie the Humper, are all relocating."

"What about Kat?"

"No... she's been accepted to the US Naval Academy, in Annapolis... I'm surprised that she hasn't told Rusty, as she's very excited to be a pilot and kick ass, like Lee and Zak."

Sharon smiled at the idea, and knew the girl would excel greatly.

"Kara has put in for a transfer to the LAPD's Domestic Crimes unit, and is awaiting word, but–"

"She'll get it," Sharon predicted.

Castillo nodded.

"Who will watch Kacey, during the day?"

"Abu."

Sharon moved to kiss her lover, but he backed away cautiously.

"I'll only do it, if you agree," he told her cautiously. "This is very sudden, I know. And you have Flynn, and that POS husband–"

"Marty?" Sharon interrupted him suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up and let Mimi kiss you."

Before the Castillo knew it, Sharon drew him to her, and crushed her mouth to his. Their tongues mated, and their souls fused once again.

"We can take things slow, or fast, I really don't care. But I want you, and your wonderful family, in my life, Martin Castillo. We'll figure things out with Jack, and I'll talk things over with Andy. But this... what you and I have... it needs to happen. I've known it from the moment I first saw you... twenty years ago, and now since we've been together. It used to scare me, but now... I just want us to be together. Okay?

"Okay."

They kissed again, sealing the deal.

# # #

Hours later, as Captain Sharon Raydor sat in her seat, bound for LAX, she couldn't help but remember her unease upon embarking on their journey to Miami the week before.

Somehow she'd find a way to thank Assistant Chief Russell Taylor, for insisting that she go.

Their group sat together, in the middle seats of the plane. Provenza was sunburned from many rounds of golf, and was snoring to Rusty's right. Sykes was stretched across her seat, and the next one to her on the aisle, and lay sleeping with her head on a pillow on Sharon's lap. Unable to sleep, Rusty prodded her and asked in whisper, what she was thinking.

"Or do I even have to ask?" he added in teasing.

"No," Sharon replied, with a smirk.

"I can't wait for Marty to come to LA."

"Me, too."

Rusty paused, then asked quietly asked his mother about what he'd seen transpire the day before, between her and Castillo at the beach.

Sharon swallowed, knowing that she'd have to tell Rusty about her lost pregnancy, sooner or later. Neither could sleep, and they had more than enough time before they reached home.

"Your kid brought you guys back together," Rusty said, once everything had been told.

Sharon nodded, while smoothing away both their tears.

"That she did... and so did you..."

#TO BE CONTINUED#