In this universe Robert is just a lieutenant for now and Andy doesn't have a title yet as she's only 24. Pruitt is captain of 19 and Andy still lives with Him.
!Trigger warning!
I don't know how to say for what this needs a trigger warning without giving away the plot but read with caution if you get triggered easily or just skip this oneshot.
(Also if you are not sure wether to read this or not you can message me and I can tell you the „plot" so you can better decide)
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Shift was over and most of A-shift had already left. Robert was done changing and walked over to Andy and hugged her from behind.
R: "Are you coming to my place again today?"
A: "Uhm no, sorry. I need to go home."
Robert let go of the hug and Andy turned around to him.
R: "oh, okey. Is everything okey? You slept at my place each night for weeks but lately you don't come over much anymore."
A: "I'm good. We are good. Just... a lot going on at home."
R: "Okey, so when will I see you again?"
A: "I will text you. I need to go now."
And without another kiss Andy walked out of the locker room with her head low and Robert was left in the locker room by himself a little baffled as to what had just happen and by Andys behaviour.
Him and Andy had only been together for 5 months now but they had shared a bed rather soon most nights.
Not that she really moved in but she spent pretty much every night at his place without them ever having sex.
He didn't mind waiting until she was ready, he figured she just wasn't as experienced yet and would need more time to be completely comfortable around him.
But in the last 3 weeks or so Robert had noticed a shift in Andys behaviour. She wasn't coming over as much and if she did she would go home in the evening more times than not. Something was going on but he wasn't sure what.
Still caught in his thoughts trying to figure out what was going on he made his way home.
He didn't here from her all day and when he was getting to bed the feeling he had done something wrong had manifested in his mind even if he didn't know what he had done, it must have been him right?
In the morning the first thing he did was check his phone. But no calls and no texts. Just nothing. He got up to get ready for shift and was hoping he could catch Andy alone for a minute to talk to her and ask what was going on and what he had done to upset her.
The next shift had started and he still hadn't heard from Andy since she just walked out of him.
He had been worried and wanted to just drive by her place but he couldn't because Pruitt couldn't know.
But now that they had shift and Andy wasn't here his worry increased and he decided he would go by the captains office. He knocked and got called in.
P: "Ah Sullivan. What's up?"
R: " Sir, Uhm... I was just.. Uhm" he was searching for the right words without giving away how much he cared about Andy in front of her dad who couldn't know the two were a couple.
P: "Spit it out Sullivan."
R: "Where is Andy?"
P: "It's September, she has her two weeks off." He said as if Robert was supposed to know that and it was a public fact that in September Andy takes two weeks off of work.
R: "She took time off? Is she sick?"
P: "No she isn't sick Sullivan. It's just September and now get back to work."
Robert did as he was told but he left the captains office more confused than before. 'It's just September' kept going through his head. What was it about September? Why did Andy take off of work without telling him and why wasn't she returning any of his calls or texts?
It had been 3 days and all he heard from Andy was a text saying "I'm good" which did not relax him at all. Today was their off day and he had been fighting with himself wether he should just drive to her house or not.
It's been going around in his head all day, one second thinking 'screw this I'll just go' and then going back to 'I can't do this, if Pruitt finds out we are going to be in trouble.'
But as the day passed he got more reckless until he decided they were grown adults even though Andy may not be acting like one right now, so he would just drive by to see her and talk to her because he couldn't shake the feeling he had done something wrong.
He got his keys and drove to her house, without any hesitation left he walked to the door and knocked. But nothing, he knocked again and now he could hear footsteps and saw Andy peaking through the curtains.
She slowly opened the door, just a little, making sure he knows she is not welcoming him in.
A: "What are you doing here?"
R: "You took off work without talking to me and you haven't answered in 3 days after distancing yourself more and more. Did I do something wrong?"
A: "What? No!"
She opened the door now more and made a step towards him. With the sun now hitting her face he could see how she had puffy eyes and the exhaustion was written across her face.
A: "Rober it's not you. I promise. It's just... it's September."
R: "Yea that's what your dad said but I don't get it. What's happening in September?"
Andy chewed her lips searching for an explanation without actually explaining what she meant. She couldn't come up with one but she longed for his arms.
She took his hand and pulled him inside closing the door behind him. Without saying a word she led him upstairs to her room. In front of the bed she let go of his hand and climbed in the bed.
A: "Get in here already."
Robert still confused and worried what was going on decided to do as she had said. She got in his arms and the two just laid like that until eventually they both fell asleep.
In the middle of the night Robert was woken up abruptly.
A: "NO STOP LET ME GOO! LET GO OFF ME." She screamend, while tossing around in bed and tears streamed down her face.
Robert was shocked at this sight but it was clear she was still sleeping
R: "Hey Andy, wake up!"
A: "NO STOP PLEASE! I WANNA GO HOME! I SWEAR I WONT SAY A WORD."
R: "Andy! You need to wake up."
He shook her gently and now Andy sat up in bed abruptly with tears still streaming down her face.
R: "Andy what happened?"
But Andy couldn't speak and so he just took her in his arms and held her.
The bedroom door opened and Pruitt was standing there, he didn't look surprised to see Robert In his daughters bed, he just sighed at the sight of Andy sobbing in his arms.
Robert felt uncomfortable with his captain just standing there but not speaking.
P: "On the bedside table are some pills, make her take one. She will fall back asleep. You got this?"
Robert nodded.
R: "Sir, what is going on?"
P: "I think that's a story she has to tell you herself." Pruitt backed out and closed the door again.
Robert reached over Andy to her bedside and got one of the pills and her water bottle.
R: "Here Andy, take it."
Without any hesitation or fighting back she did and soon fell back asleep in his arms.
Robert on the other hand couldn't fall back asleep, the worry was keeping him awake and the words Andy had screamed kept going through his mind. What did all of this mean? Pruitt hadn't even seemed surprised about seeing Andy this way and what was it about it being September?
A few hours after the sun had already rises, Andy stirred in her sleep and slowly opened her eyes. Only slowly she remembered how she had woken up after a nightmare the last night.
A: "Oh My god. Shit" she said straight up, looking forward, everywhere but at Robert.
R: "Andy? Are you okay?"
A: "Yea sure. I'm great why wouldn't I be?"
R: "Andy come on. You never take time off of work, I keep hearing it's September as if it's a secret code, you scream and cry in the middle of the night and when your dad came in he didn't even look surprised."
Andy sighed and took a deep breath before turning around to Robert.
A: "This ... I don't know how to explain Robert... September is... yea it's pretty much a secret code."
R: "Andy, do you trust me?"
A: "I do."
R: "Then tell me."
A: "The problem isn't to trust you Robert. The problem is PTSD."
R: "You have PTSD? Why didn't I know this?" he asked soft.
A: „You didn't know because I'm doing well most of the time. It's just... when September comes around things change. I get triggered."
R: „Can you tell me what happened?"
Andy started biting on her lip and contemplating what to do or say.
A: „I can."
He took her hand in his hoping it would give her some comfort.
A: „7 years ago, when I was 17... it was September and... I got kidnapped."
The shock and sadness was visible all over his face but Andy couldn't see that. When she had started talking she kept her eyes on their intertwined hands.
A: "For two weeks... he held me in his basement and ... he raped me multiple times."
R: "Andy, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you to talk."
A: " No Robert, it's okey. I hate talking about it and I never do but I know I need to. It's been seven years, I need to move on."
R: "Moving on takes time."
There was a silence between them for a few minutes but it didn't feel uncomfortable for either of them.
A: "I'm sorry I know I could have told you sooner but ... I didn't want to bother you with this. The nightmares and the screaming..."
R: "Andy, you wouldn't bother me. I love you and I wanna be there for you. Is that why stopped sleeping over too?"
Andy just nodded.
R: „Move in with me."
A: „What?"she looked up at him.
R: „Move in with me."
A: „Are you serious."
R: „Of course I'm serious Andy, I love you and I wanna spent the rest of my life with you."
Andy leaned over to him, cupped his face with her hands and pressed her lips against his. He kissed her back.
R: „Is that a yes?" he chuckled.
A: „Yes. But right now, I... I can't be alone at night."
R: „So what do you do when your dads on shift?"
A: „Snuffy sleeps here."
R: „If you are okay with it I'll ask for time off."
A: „You don't have to do that Robert. I can just stay here till it's better and then come."
R: „But I want to Andy, I wanna live with you and I wanna be there for you."
A: „Thank you Robert, I would love to move in with you."
Robert pulled her back in his arms.
R: „Then maybe let's cuddle a little more and then I'll ask your dad for time off."
A: „He'll say yes."
R: „Why do you sound so sure? Until last night he didn't even knew about us."
A: „I think he does. He's Pruitt Herrera."
——
It was Andys first night at his place in a while but she had always felt safe in his arms and it gave her much comfort so she was hoping it would do the same now, when her nights where filled with the horror of the past.
The afternoon went by slowly, at least for Andy. Each year these two weeks felt like an eternity, where she was caught in the past with no way out.
They had spent it on the couch watching movies and Robert had hoped it would distract her from all the images running through her mind but he could feel how she was tense and she seemed on edge the entire time.
As it got later they made their way to the bedroom and Andy got ready in the bathroom first. She had changed into some Pjs and was sitting in bed with the cover over her legs.
But she got more nervous when it was time to sleep because she knew the nightmares would come and usually she would avoid sleep for as long as she could but she didn't wanna unsettle Robert.
She sat in bed waiting for Robert to be done in the bathroom and was biting her nails while she got more anxious. Robert came out of the bathroom and saw Andy sitting in bed, she had her legs close to her body and one arm wrapped around it while she was biting her nails on her free hand.
Her distress was visible and Robert just hoped she would get some sleep and feel safe in his arm. He got into bed next to Andy.
R: „You want me to hold you?"
She just shook her head keeping her eyes on the blanket that was spread across both of them.
R: „Do you want to take a pill to help you sleep?"
Andy only shook her head again.
Robert sighed inside, not letting Andy hear it. He wasn't really frustrated with her he was just lost, not knowing what to do.
R: „What can I do?"
A: „Just sleep Robert, I'm fine. Just ... can we leave a light on?"
R: „Of course we can. I'm here, whatever you need."
She nodded.
Robert laid down, kept his face towards her so he would see if she needed her. He didn't plan on sleeping before he was sure she was asleep to but at some point he must have dozen off anyways.
He opened his eyes and he couldn't see Andy next to him, for a second the panic rises Inside of him but he saw the light in the bathroom was on.
He got out of bed and walked towards the bathroom calling out her name so she wouldn't get scare when he would open the door.
And what he saw broke his heart even more, which he didn't think was possible but Andy was sitting on the cold bathroom floor.
Her hair was messy as she had run through it multiple times as if running her fingers over her head could get ride of the images inside.
She was shaking slightly, wether that was from the cold or her anxiety and her face was stained with tears.
He had to do something and stop watching her fall apart. He scooped her up from the floor and to his surprise she didn't argue or fight him as he carried her back to bed.
He got a pill and the bottle of water and reached it out to her but again she shook her head. By this point Robert figured she might need some tough love.
R: „Andrea Herrera, take the pill or I will call your dad and make him take you one and we both know he won be that nice about it."
And that seemed to have done the trick, she took it without arguing back and when Robert got back in bed she got in his arms without him having to offer.
He had his arms around her and was gently stroking along her arm hoping it would at least give her a tiny bit of comfort.
The sleeping pill soon kicked in and Andy fell into a deep sleep which hopefully would last the rest of the night.
———-
Andy had been tossing und turning in bed for a while now and Robert wasn't so sure what to do.
Should he wake her up but then he knew that she probably wouldn't sleep for a while and she didn't like taking the sleeping pills.
He laid on his said facing her and keeping an eye on her closely, looking for any change.
Robert wanted to hold her and comfort her so badly but he knew from the previous night that it wasn't a good idea to just taker her in his arm while she was sleeping and caught in dreams of the past.
Seeing her like that broke him and he wish he could protect her from the pain that haunted her for years and probably would for several more.
Around 5 am she began screaming again and Robert decided to wake her up.
R: „Andy, wake up. You are safe."
A: „I-what" still confused and trying to get to reality from her dream she turned her head to Robert and tears began streaming down her face.
R: „You want me to hold you?"
Andy just nodded while she scooped over to him and got comfortable in his arms.
Here she felt safe again, she knew he would protect her with everything he got but only slowly she was able to get herself back to reality.
Images of the two weeks she was held captive, they kept going through her mind like a movie that would never stop.
A: „I just need it to stop. I can't anymore."
R: „I know, but remember you are safe now. This is over and I am here, I will keep you safe, always. I will always be by your side."
After a while he could feel her breathing had evened out and she seemed calmer.
R: „How about taking a shower, you are completely wet from the sweating and I can make us some breakfast in the mean time."
He could see in Andys face she was debating and having an inner argument with herself.
A: „Can you... uhm... no never mind. It's fine."
R: „Andy, please ask. I'm here to help you in whatever way.
A: „Can you just stand in the door while I shower?"
R: „Of course I can." he gave her a short kiss on her forehead.
R: „Let's go."
And while Andy was taking her shower he stood at the door like she had asked him too. He couldn't help but wonder what things had happened to her in those two weeks.
She told him she had been raped multiple times but how had all this been even possible? How had she been kidnapped at 17? Why her?
He was a little lost in his thoughts and hadn't noticed the water stopped running and Andy was standing right next to him with her hand resting on his arm.
A: „Is everything okay?"
R: „Yea I was just thinking that's all."
A: „About what?"
R: „about you."
A: „Me?"
R: „Just... You are in therapy right? For your ptsd?"
Andy swallowed.
A: „Why are you asking this?"
R: „I know PTSD can get bad when you get triggered but Andy I had PTSD too after the marines and I know that when you are in therapy you get prescribed something if you are struggling this much. And you are. You are triggered and you are barely getting by right now but all you take are basic sleeping pills you will get without any prescription"
Andy had removed her hand from him and looked around not really knowing what to do or what to say and she was fidgeting with her leg.
R: „You are not in therapy right?"
She just slightly shook her head.
R: „Have you ever been?"
A: „I have but... I couldn't do it alright?" she got louder and angrier than she had intended but she couldn't stop herself. „I tried okey? I tried talking and not talking and ... nothing helped okay? All that did help was time and being home. Eventually being at the academy distracted my mind enough or maybe yes I just pushed it down and wanted to forget everything about it. I just wanna get rid of these images in my mind and not talk to them bringing them back to life!"
By the end she was full on yelling but the tears streaming down her face let him know this wasn't anger towards him, it was her pure frustration of not being able to forget.
She couldn't forget how she had been pulled into a truck when she was just on her way too school. She couldn't forget the cold and dark basement she spent two weeks in. She couldn't forget the feeling of a fabric wrapped around her head leaving her unable to see anything but black darkness. She couldn't forget the way he smelled and all the ways he touched her everywhere. She couldn't forget how scared she was, or how she was fearing she wouldn't make it out alive. And she couldn't forget his voice that she could still hear so clearly.
Robert held her gently at her shoulders.
R: "Andy, I mean this in the nicest way possible but you do need help, professional help."
Andy spoke quietly now.
A: „No it's just September. I'll be fine again soon."
R: „You may get better Andy but you are not fine. You need help. I'm begging you to accept some help."
A: "Robert, I ... I just can't." She whispered. "I can't."
R: "I know you Andrea Herrera, you can do everything you set your mind too."
She looked up at him.
A: "I'm scared."
R: „I know, but you are not alone in this anymore. I'll be there, every Strompfs the way. Every day. On the good and the bad."
She took a step, wrapped her arms around him and let her head rest on his chest and Robert wrapped his arms around her.
A: „Promise?"
R: „I promise."
A: „And you can't just leave if I go completely crazy all of the sudden."
R: „I would never. I'll be staying no matter how much you are struggling."
A: „Okey, I will try. But... I can't, I can't reach out."
R: „I can do that for you. I'll research and find you someone you can see soon okey."
He could feel her nodding at his chest.
R: „We will fight this together and I promise things will finally get better. You will get out of this, and you'll never be alone. I won't leave you Andy, no matter what."
He kissed her forehead and just held her close. He would do whatever was needed so Andy would get the help she deserved and so that she could get better and hopefully one day, the images burned in her head would faint more and more and she would find some peace inside of Her.
