A/N These characters are not mine, I just like to borrow them from time to time.

This is my tag to Present Tense 5.01 - so proud of myself for getting it done before tonight's episode. Hopefully I can keep it up.

Andy Flynn instinctively knew he was alone long before he opened his eyes. He rolled to his back, stretching his arm out to the empty expanse beside him. The sheets were cool; she had been up for a while. Groaning slightly, Andy sat up, flipping the bedside lamp on. The time on his phone read one forty- two. "Shit!" He muttered on his way in to the darkened bathroom. His dress-shirt from earlier was no longer hanging on the back of the door and that made him smile, slightly. After relieving himself, Andy quietly padded down the hall, not bothering to look for his robe. The kid had already caught him in his boxers and white t-shirt once so Andy didn't figure it matter much any more.

The lights were off in the living room, the couch empty. Andy frowned as he looked into the kitchen. A single light above the sink burned softly. The tea kettle on the stove top was barely warm confirming even more that she been up for a while. While Andy waited for the water to heat once again, he walked over to the balcony door. Sharon sat with her back to him on her favorite chaise in the far left corner of the balcony. Sighing deeply, Andy made his way back into the kitchen just as the water began to boil. Their dinner and talk of moving in together had not gone exactly as he had planned, not that he was really complaining. Once they were home she had easily distracted him and they ended up making love before enjoying a long relaxing shower.

Mug in one hand, Andy quietly opened the sliding glass door, stepping out into the cool night air. She has to be freezing he thought, wishing that he had grabbed his robe. She didn't turn, but he knew she heard him approaching. Hurriedly, she wiped at her eyes, but it was too late. There was no hiding from him now.

"Sharon…" He whispered, but she refused to meet his gaze. Her legs were bare and tucked underneath her, the sleeves of his pale lavender shirt covered her hands. "Sweetheart, come back to bed. It's freezing out here."

She wiped at her face again, slowly shaking her head. "I…not yet."

Andy stepped closer to her, reaching out he silently offered her the warm mug of tea. Hesitantly she took it, happy to cradle its warmth in her hands but she did not take a sip. Sharon waited, expecting Andy to sit next to her on the end of the chaise but he didn't. Instead, he moved to the balcony railing, his gaze settling on the city beyond. He knew the answer before he spoke, but he figured it was worth a shot, "You wanna talk about it?"

He could hear her clear her throat before she spoke, "I just have a lot on my…mind."

"The case?" he questioned, still not turning to look at her.

A soft "Hmm" was her only reply.

"Rusty and Gus seemed okay tonight." He continued.

"Yes." She shifted slightly on the chaise, bringing her knees up, she hugged them closely to her chest.

Silence hung between them like a dense fog; finally, he turned to look at her. Resting his elbows on the balcony railing, he watched as she sat alone, shivering in the cool night air. "Is it us?" She dropped her head to her knees, unable to once again meet his gaze. "Damn-it Sharon, just talk to me. Please! Please don't shut me out!"

Her voice was soft, strained with emotion, "I'm not."

"No? You could'a fooled me." Andy threw his hands in the air, turning from her yet again. "Obviously you feel better out here crying all alone instead of letting me know a- that you are even upset and b- letting me hold you while you cry. Instead you sneak out here, thinking I'll never know the difference."

"I didn't sneak…" She started.

His voice raised a few octaves, "You're missing point. You've built this fortress around yourself and sometimes I think you are finally letting me in but then…I don't know. I understand why you've had to protect yourself all these years, I really do. But, do you trust me?"

He could hear her stifle a small sob, "Yes…with my life."

His voice was calmer, "Yeah…okay, but do you trust me with your heart?" He still did not turn, afraid to see the truth written in her eyes. "God damn-it Sharon, I love you. But did Jackson Raydor fuck you over so badly that you are not capable of letting me... love you?"

"Andy…please don't swear."

He hung his head, his hands automatically moving to his face. "That's all you've got? I'm trying to have a conversation about our life together and all you hear is a couple of curse words?" He turned to continue his rant, but his irritation dissolved the moment he laid eyes on her small shivering body. He couldn't see her face, her head rested on her knees but he knew instantly that she was crying even harder. "Damn-it…" He breathed. "Sharon, I'm sorry…this isn't what I planned when I came out here. I wanted to hold you, to love you…to make you feel better and I've just made everything worse."

She looked up and for once her face was an open book of emotions. He could see hurt, regret but more than anything he could see love shining in her bright eyes. "You know when you said you were scared that Rusty and Gus found love to soon?" She nodded slightly. He stepped to kneel beside her as he continued, "Well, I'm scared we…found love too late." He reached up, gently wiping the fresh batch of tears on her checks with the pads of his thumbs. "Whatever life I have left; I want it to be with you. End of story…so whatever you need me to do, I will do. If that means things stay exactly as they are now, then okay. I'll accept that. I won't like it, but I'll accept it."

She closed her eyes, shaking her head softly. He was surprised when she quickly stood, gathering up the two untouched mugs of now cold tea. Without a word she started for the kitchen, Andy slowly followed waiting while she placed the mugs in the dishwasher. She reached for his hand as they made their way back to her bedroom. Andy climbed back into bed, waiting to turn the bedside lamp off until she stepped from the bathroom. His dress shirt returned to the back of the door, he couldn't help but trace every inch of her beautiful body as she walked toward the bed clad only in her black lace panties. As he reached to switch the light off, she climbed into bed settling her head against his chest. He pulled her snuggly to him, his hand tracing soft circles on her hip.

He could feel her swallow hard against his chest before she spoke, "Everything you said tonight…each and every word was true. Andy…I don't know how to do this. It's not that I don't want everything that you want. I do…I really do. I just…" She tried to swallow the tears building in the back of her throat, but she couldn't. So she let them fall, down her cheeks to soak onto Andy's white t-shirt.

"Sweetheart…" He started, pulling her even tighter to him.

"No…let me finish. There is so much about my life with Jack that only I know… Things that I try to keep buried deep inside of me. Jack had a terrible mouth on him, especially when he was drinking. He reserved most of those words for me. Even when we were not together he would leave long voicemails…telling me how horrible I was. It's why to this day I despise swearing. My mind just shuts off and I don't hear anything but those terrible, vile words."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know…" He reached to kiss the side of her hair.

"I don't want your pity, Andy." She rolled, moving to lay atop his chest, her eyes searching for his in the darkened bedroom. "I want your love."

"Sha…" She reached up bringing her finger to his lips to silence him.

"I want you to know that even though this…terrifies me, I'm not giving up on us. I want everything that you want, I'm just scared. I will try to be more open, I can't promise a miracle but I will try to let you in. You have already been more than patient with me. I'm so sorry…"

He gently tangled his hands into her hair, pulling her in for a tender, chaste kiss. "Never apologize for being who you are. I love you, nothing will ever change that."

"I love you too."

She kissed him one last time before rolling off his chest, on to her side. He moved behind her, pulling her tightly into his warmth. He smiled, his hand wandering down to splay across her stomach, her feet moving between his knees. Tonight was a test and they both passed, he thought. Learning to love and be loved is hard but so worth it.