Martha was feeling impatient but the phone kept ringing and no one seemed to be picking the call. What if she had the wrong number? She hung up and decided to dial again, slower this time. She had to reach that person. There was no other way. It was Sharon's most important instruction to respect if she didn't show up after a few weeks. It rang again and again. She would wait as long and try as hard as needed.

/

It was now dark in the small room, the cold being even more present than before. She was barely dressed, still wearing her blouse and elegant skirt which had been ripped and torn while Jack had kidnapped her in the supermarket's warehouse. She didn't even have a blanket, just her clothes and a thin naked mattress. She was probably in a cellar but where on Earth? It felt like she had been there for years. She didn't even remember what it felt like to feel the light on her very damaged skin. For a woman in her middle 40's, Sharon looked very wrinkled and unhealthy. Her plan didn't seem to be very useful just yet but hopefully all her good efforts would pay off eventually.

When the ex-LAPD's Captain didn't have anything left, she still had her memories which helped her drift off to sleep, forgetting about her awful condition and the distance that separated her from her loved ones. She could only pray for her children to be safe and for somebody to find her soon.

Even in her dreams she missed him more than words could describe. Her body was calling for his in vain. She felt exhilarated as she pictured him right there with her. Laying behind her. Spooning her. His safe and warm arms were enveloping Sharon's small figure, protecting her from the cold. On her back, she felt his chest pressing against her regularly, indicating that he was there steady and calm, breathing. Life. She wanted to feel alive again, to breath freely without fear. She could feel him, his hand caressing her arm soothingly. He had always been so good at comforting her, making her feel safe inside his embrace. She wanted that dreamy moment to last forever. She – needed – that moment to last forever. All these years without him had been unbearable and she was tired to pretend like she didn't need him.

Her eyes were closed, focused on that memory – his soft touch on her skin. She suddenly turned around remembering she wanted to smell him, to snuggle into his chest. Her face easily found the crook of his neck, kissing it and humming with full content. Home. He was her home. The place she wanted to come back to after a full day at work or in this case after 13 long years of hiding. As unreachable as it was at that precise moment, she remembered the feel of him like she had never left him. He was part of her and would always be.

His hands moved to her back and neck, massaging her, touching her. It was such a simple thing, a touch. But she could kill to feel it again. She felt chills when she suddenly remembered the pleasure she had when their bodies were connected. In a life involving hiding and anxiety most of the time, one could easily think that pleasure was the last thing to satisfy. Nonetheless, she missed that too and very much. It had been 15 years since her last intercourse which happened with Jack but 23 since her last love making. Andy was her love partner, the person that fitted her in every way and the only one she would love as much as she did. Unexplainable but truly felt in every fiber of her being.

She wanted him against her lips, soft but deep. Sharon rose her head and plundered her mouth into his. Passion. She so missed that passion, that heat they shared without even doing anything special. She couldn't stop kissing him, using her hands to touch his chest. She felt him as if she wanted her fingers to get under his skin. She owned him and he owned her. That was the most beautiful feeling. They physically belonged to each other. But they also mentally belonged to each other. No one could do anything about it. They helplessly needed to find their way back to one another.

/

It hit him hard. A huge punch in the stomach. Weirdly he felt like a wreck inside, but no tears would come out. Shock. Anxiety. Terror. Love. Nostalgia. Anger. Frustration. Betrayal. He felt it all at once. As the lady on the phone said those terrible words out loud, he dropped the phone, not even knowing what to do first. He had read the note but there was no way on earth he'd have anticipated that such a terrible thing was happening to the love of her life. She had been missing for over a month now and he could only pray for her to still be alive. He couldn't lose her. Not again.

Martha gave him their location and all the details he needed to start looking for her as soon as possible. He called Provenza. Provenza would help him. He was his very best friend and wouldn't let the Captain die even if she was not his favorite person in the world.

/

Sharon had been sent to Utah for her Witness Protection Program. Andrea had given him as many details as she knew but no one could know where she was at the moment or if Jack had taken her to another state. The whole team volunteered to help but obviously they couldn't do much without a single clue of where she had been taken. Still, Utah was probably the best place to start the "investigation". How weird to consider it an investigation when Andy was simply looking for the love of his life who happened to be in danger of death. He couldn't allow himself to think of the worst outcome because it wasn't possible for him to envision a life without Sharon. He didn't know how to live in a world where she didn't exist and he didn't want to learn anyways. He could die saving her life and he was totally okay with that. But he wouldn't live if the opposite happened.

Provenza nicely agreed to accompany and help him with the 10-hour drive that was ahead. The team would monitor the investigation from the Murder Room. Andy had considered flying there but he wouldn't have a vehicle to move fast once in Utah. Both Lieutenants prepared a small bag with the essentials and were set to meet at 8 pm to travel overnight. While he was picking a few t-shirts and clean underwear in his travel bag, Andy was interrupted by Charlotte who had just gotten back home from a long afternoon out with her friends.

- Hey… she paused, confused, what are you doing? Are you leaving?

- Good guess! he shot at her not even looking up.

- Wait…what? Why? I don't understand… she asked chuckling nervously.

- You should know why, he kept putting his clothes into his bag with jerky movements, trying to control his temper.

- How so? Andy, tell me what's going on!

- Tell you what's going on? Well what's going on is that you fuckin' lied to me AGAIN! What the hell were you thinking? He was trying to keep it low but he was boiling inside and couldn't help but raise his voice.

- What are you talking about? I didn't lie to you… she seemed to be truly confused not understanding what she had done wrong.

- Oh you didn't lie to me? Of course not! Then what the fuck was that little game of hiding that mysterious note about huh? My birthday gift? Really?

- Okay I see you're mad about that but it's just a little note, I mean… why are you making such a big deal about it?

- Let me be clearer: that note was sent to ME, so first of all I should have gotten it. I don't even know why you opened it even less why you decided to hid it from me! Second of all: that note was a call for help and now she might be… she might be… he couldn't say the words. And if she is… I will never forgive you! he cried out of anger and despair.

- Okay I should have given you the damn note but it's always been like that with you! I feel insecure all the time, as if you could leave me any minute because you found someone better somewhere else! And see that's exactly what is happening! You're talking about another woman! she joined his cries but for very opposite reasons.

- No! The truth is we both know we don't belong to each other though we keep insisting as if it could change anything…

When he heard himself say those words in such a direct way, he felt bad for her but she deserved a little sadness after her ugly lies that induced a kidnapping and maybe even worse.

- I'm sorry to tell you this right now but I've never belonged to you and never will… he was calmer now trying to make her understand his point. It will probably hurt you to hear this but I'm sure you're well aware that my heart has always belonged to Sharon. We were apart for years but I know I can't love anyone else as much as I love her. You lied to me several times because you were afraid of us being too close again and in a way I understand. But Charlotte you must see that… telling her to leave our house back then or hiding that note now are not gonna solve our problems. Moreover, I'll hold you as fully responsible if anything happens to her! She wrote that note because she needed help, she's in danger! And you're here talking about jealousy and control over me… I can't believe it took me so long to be honest with you but I wanna divorce and I don't wanna see you again, ever. Please, just leave me alone and let me go now, I have a life to save.

He had finally let it out. On the verge of losing the woman he had always loved, he needed to be honest with himself and with the people around him. Charlotte was clearly shocked and speechless after his confessions but it was well deserved. As much as she was a good mother to their children, he wanted her out of his life for a manipulator was not who he wanted to have as a friend, even less as a partner. Determined, he grabbed his now full travel bag and passed in front of her not even laying eyes on his future ex-wife. He walked out of their house with firm steps, relieved to know he wouldn't have to come back to her ever again.