The drive to the house was silent, but Robert could tell Bishop had something to say, she was fidgeting in the front seat and kept taking deep breaths as though getting ready to say something. Eventually she broke the silence;
"Look Chief I know now isn't really the time but you're married? To Andy? As in husband and wife?"
Vic momentarily took her eyes off the road a look of shock on her face, her mouth open.
"What? Married? Who's married? When? Huh!" Vic's voice got higher as she spoke.
Robert sighed, "Yes, I'm married. To Andy. Me and Andy got married a couple of weeks back. Her dad walked her down the aisle. This wasn't how you were supposed to find out. Hell this wasn't how married life was supposed to start either."
"Huh?" Vic repeated, still in shock.
Maya threw her a be quiet look before turning to face Robert.
"Chief… Robert. Firstly congratulations and secondly if it's any consolation, I have never seen Andy in love before. Not like she has been recently with you. I have never seen her so affected by someone as she is by you. That's how I knew you were together without her even telling me. The way she spoke about you, I could see it in her eyes that you were special. That hasn't changed because she's having a shit time. She still feels the same way for you, it's just been pushed down inside her at the minute. Andy needs to feel in control, she strives on routines and rules, and at the minute she has none of that. Everything is changing and she can't deal with it. But she will, we will all help her. She thinks she's on her own at the moment. We just need to show her that's not true."
"Thank you Bishop. You know she hated not having you guys at the wedding. But I told her, when it was all out in the open we would have a big celebration and invite everyone… we didn't know that before that could happen that Pruitt would… Would, well do what he did."
"Doesn't mean it can't still happen," Vic interrupted. "Give Andy something to look forward to, something to aim towards. Everyone loves a good party."
Robert smiled, "Yeah, I hope you're right Hughes, I hope you're right."
Endless knocking on the door and ringing the bell proved pointless. Nobody answered and silence was their only reply.
"There's no one home." Maya said. "We're just wasting time."
"We don't know that, she could be inside." Robert insisted.
Maya gave him a look that let him know she thought he was crazy.
"I'm going to take a look around the back, there might be an open door or window."
"Just be careful Chief, the last thing we need is you arrested for breaking and entering."
Robert saw the open back door immediately and he knew without a doubt that Andy was inside, without hesitation, he literally ran to the door. Inside the house was silent. Robert went more cautiously now, he didn't want to startle his wife. He was unsure what he was going to find and he was unsure how he was going to handle it, but he knew one thing, he would never leave her side again just as long as she was okay.
He found her in the back bedroom, he knew immediately this must have been Andy's room as a child growing up. She was sat on the bed facing the window so she didn't see Robert enter the room. He slowly edged his way around the room towards the window careful that he didn't make any sudden movements. When he was almost there she spotted him, she scrambled back on the bed immediately like a deer caught in headlights, trapped trying to escape. Robert held both his hands in front of him and remained completely still.
"Andy, it's okay, I'm not going to come any closer, I'm here to help you. Just stay still so we can talk."
Andy stilled in the middle of the bed, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her head on top.
"You had me really worried Andy. I've been going out my mind with worry. We all have."
Andy said nothing but stared at a spot on the wall just to the side of Robert. Undeterred Robert continued, determined to get Andy to talk to him.
"Your arm must be hurting, your burn, it was pretty bad. And how's your chest feel? Can you breathe okay?"
A text came through, he glanced down,
Maya: What's going on? Where r u?
Robert quickly replied:
Robert: Found her, give us some time, she's not good.
He looked back to Andy, she hadn't moved.
"Is it okay if I come and sit on the bed? I won't touch you, just all this running around has been hell on my leg."
She looked at him, eye contact for the first time, progress and then the smallest of nods. Robert carefully walked forward then sat gently on the bed.
"Aah that's better. It's nice to sit down. It's really nice to sit down with you. Ive missed you… I love you."
"You need to leave."
Voice hoarse, her chest not back to normal yet and causing her voice to betray how she really felt.
"Why would I leave?"
"Because if you stay you'll just get hurt."
"Who by? Who is going to hurt me?"
"Me. Everyone who is too close to me ends up hurt, ends up dead. You need to get away."
"Andy, sweetheart, that's not true. You're just having a run of really bad luck at the moment, but your dad and Ryan dying were not your fault."
"Ryan died jumping in front of a bullet that would have hit me. My dad died venting a building I was about to die in. What more proof do you need? Everything's my fault. Save your self before it's too late."
Robert shock his head. "Andy, they were both grown men, who made their own decisions. Nobody made them do the things they did. Life is just cruel sometimes. Your Dad saved all of us that day, not just you. And Ryan was a cop, his instinct is to save people and yes he would have wanted to save you more than most as you were his best friend, but truthfully he would have took a bullet for almost anyone as he was that type of guy. So you can't blame yourself."
Andy said nothing, a single tear rolled down her cheek and Robert gently removed it with his thumb.
"Baby, what happened in the apartment fire? Why did you sit down and take your mask off? Talk to me."
"I just told you, everyone is better off without me. I just hurt people."
"You honestly think we're better off without you?" Roberts voice was getting louder. "You think I'm better off without you? You think about what I would be like now if you had died in that fire? Did you think about how I would feel? What kind of life I'd have left. You were being fucking selfish Andy."
Andy flinched at the anger in Roberts voice. Robert sighed, regretting his choice of words.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I'm just shocked and scared about what you did."
She spoke quietly back to him.
"I can't do this anymore, I'm tired of hurting, I'm tired of wondering what shit is coming next."
"it doesn't matter what comes your way Andy, I will be here for you and we will get through it together. You have changed my life. I was closed down, switched off, no emotions before I met you. You have given me my life back. I am so in love with you, it hurts and to watch you in pain makes me feel physically sick. I would do anything to be able to take your pain away and shield you from all the horrors of the world. I know how you feel, Claire died and then Ripley died and then my wife's best friend has died and now her Dad. I get how you are hurting but I don't get how you can just give up. The Andy I know would fight."
"There's no point anymore."
"So what you're saying is I'm not worth it? We're not worth it?"
"You know that's not what I mean. I love you Robert, you're all I have but I'm scared to lose you as well."
"You're not going to lose me Andy, I'm going to be in your face annoying you for the rest of your life. You're my person. And I'm yours. No matter what happens in this crazy life we will always have each other. Thats what I signed up for when I married you. For better for worse, in sickness and in health."
Andy gave Robert a small smile, the first one he had seen for days and it warmed his whole heart.
"I don't know how to stop feeling like this though Robert, how do I make it better? How do I stop the bad thoughts?"
"We will do it together, I'm going to get you some help."
"I'm not crazy Robert."
"I know. I didn't say you were, you're grieving and you're hurting but you will get through this, we will get through this. If you want to try that is?"
"I do. I don't want to die, I don't want to be without you. In the fire… at the apartment, I don't know what happened and I'm telling the truth. It's like something just took over me. The flames were right in front of me and all I could see was my Dad and Ryan and my Mami and I don't know, next thing I was in the hospital. I don't want to hurt you Robert. I don't want to live without you either."
"Good job you havent got to then. Come here." Robert scooted closer on the bed and held his arms wide and Andy shuffled over burying herself in his strong embrace. "We'll get through anything as long as we are together." He muttered in to her hair. "How are you really feeling. Are you in pain?"
"I'm okay, it doesn't hurt as much as the pain in my head and my heart right now, but honestly. I could use some Tylenol, my arm is burning."
"How about we get back to the hospital and get you looked after properly."
"Promise me you won't leave me? I don't know if I can do this if I'm on my own, I get crazy thoughts in my head and…"
"Hey, hey, hey, ssshhh." Robert interrupted. "Stop, it's okay, I'm not leaving you on your own. I'll be right by your side through everything okay?"
Andy nodded and Robert squeezed her that bit tighter.
"Everyone is going to hate me, do they all know what happened? I don't want people knowing. I don't know what to do. Robert I need help, but I'm so scared."
Robert kissed the top of her head, "I know you are. Es todo para mi. You will never be alone Andy, I will always be here for you."
At this Andy broke down in sobs, the events of the past few hours and days eventually catching up with her. Robert said nothing, just held her in his arms and gently rocked her back and forth, back and forth until her sobs subsided. When he felt she was calmer and ready to move he spoke quietly, breaking the silence.
"Bishop and Hughes are outside. Are you going to be okay with them driving us to the hospital or do you want me to send them away?"
"It's okay," Andy whispered, "I have you, I can do this."