Are you as nervous as I am about the next episode? Well the remaining four episodes? Have you seen promos? Damn! Sully and Andy in that pawn shop? They simply have to end up together after that. If not you have my word I will make them end up together!

The morning came and one by one the crew came to the Station. They met in the beanery and all of them were nervous. Each for a different reason but all put together they didn't feel at ease at all. The air was charged with electricity and they were all silent. When Pruitt came along with Andy as she picked him up in the morning and they went breakfast shopping together, he stopped when he saw his people.

He put down the boxes with donuts and waffles and Andy put down two paper bags filled with various items.

"What's wrong with you people?" Pruitt asked and they all looked at him like he was crazy.

"This is supposed to be a team breakfast. Bonding time. I don't care about your problems, I'm dying so pull yourself together, be nice and have breakfast." He said. Andy looked uncomfortable but Travis and Hughes gave him unbelievable look.

"Really, Sir? You're going to pull the I'm a dying man card?" Hughes asked.

"You bet your ass I am." He replied and it had Travis grin. "Now are you going to help us or what?" Pruitt asked and as he was standing close to Jack he shoved one box to his arms. And so they all got a task and together they set up the table. Sullivan was the last one to come, he watched them and kept on smiling. Pruitt saw him and walked over to him.

"You've got something to say, Sullivan?"

"It's good to have you back, Sir." He replied and Pruitt smiled back. Sure, it was good to have him back.

"Go and make yourself useful, son." He said and Sullivan only nodded with small yes, sir and left to help out the crew. Pruitt stood there and had a smile on his face. He was not willing to die before making sure his team would make it through.

The preparations flowed easily, the conversation started and soon they were all chatting about all sorts of things, successfully avoiding the sensitive topics. Couple of times Andy dared to look at Sullivan and couple of times he dared to do the same thing. And couple of times they even did it in the same moment. And it was more than awkward.

Hughes noticed and when it happened for the third time she nudged Herrera's shoulder.

"You should talk to him." She said.

"Vic…"

"Look, you care about him and he cares about you. Things are messy but that's life." Vic said and Andy looked down at her hands. She knew this herself, she didn't need anyone to tell her. She just didn't know what to believe anymore.

"It's not that easy." Andy replied.

"Of course it's easy. Hi Robert. Hi Andy. Let's talk." Vic said like it was the easiest thing on the planet and Andy just shot her a look that could kill. "Life's too short." Vic added and let Andy be to put it all together in her head so it would make some sense.

Andy had been thinking about it ever since Sullivan left the bunk after being her human pillow for hours when she needed him the most. And when he said he wanted to talk about something? Her heart stopped at that moment and it was difficult to just go on. But she was too hurt and too angry to think clearly. So she just watched her dad talk to her colleagues, she watched him smile and laugh and she felt her heart swell. She would miss him so much it was breaking her apart already. Letting her emotions take over she just closed her eyes for a moment and right then she felt a hand on her shoulder. She knew immediately who it was. That single touch calmed her down. She felt Sullivan squeeze her shoulder in silent support and then he was gone.

Sullivan knew he was walking on a very thin ice but he saw her watching her dad and knew that she was in pain. He wanted to help, he wanted to do something, anything but what? He couldn't do anything. So when he was passing by to talk to anyone who'd be in his path, he squeezed her shoulder. He felt her relax and there was a small part of him silently enjoying the power he had over her. He missed the contact the moment he lifted his hand and walked on.

When it was time to start their chores they all helped to clean up and then left to attend their duties. Pruitt was happy to notice that people seemed to be talking to Bishop a bit … well a little less angrily. He knew it wasn't fair to put her into this position but she was a fighter. She would make it. Andy stayed with him as the last one.

"Go, do your job." He told her.

"Dad." She said.

"Can I stick around?"

"Well I don't mind but ask the Captain." Andy said and for the first time she wasn't angry at Maya while talking about her as a Captain. She didn't care at all. She would watch her rise and fall. Maya was right. She was a crappy friend. But at the end of the day when Andy was honest with herself, she was mad at Sullivan and Dixon, she was mad at her but still she cared about her and kind of missed her. Maybe Maya was right and maybe one day she would forgive her and find her way back to her. She kept Sullivan's words on her mind when he told her such a long time ago to fight for the friendship with Bishop because those were rare and worth fighting for.

Well she was mad at him even more than she was mad at her. He broke her heart and crushed it to little pieces in the name of protection and promotion and then he gave the promotion to Maya. It wasn't fair and it didn't make sense. He knew her, he knew she would do okay despite losing Ryan. Or … if she was honest with herself and she didn't really have the energy yet to do so, she would agree with the decision because she knew the anger inside her and the numbness that came along with it would destroy her. Well, in the beginning. Day by day her mind was getting clearer. She would have done well.

Yeah, except for the fact that she was going to lose her dad soon and that would probably crush her so much that she'd be a crappy Captain. Damn.

She left her father in the beanery and decided to risk it. She walked to Sullivan's office and knocked on the door. He looked up and was surprised to see her there. He wanted to smile but didn't know if he could and should.

"Hey." He said and Andy just walked inside.

"Is this a bad time?" Andy asked.

"No, of course not." He replied and got up to meet her on the other side of the table.

"It's awkward."

"What is?"

"This. Us. It's… I don't like it." Andy said and Sullivan just watched her. Andy sighed, they wouldn't solve this anytime soon probably.

"You wanted to talk to me about something." Andy said instead.

"Yeah…. I… um…" He tried. "I don't know where to start."

"Oh." Andy didn't know what to say to that. After couple of minutes she had a bad feeling.

"I should go. This was a bad idea." Andy said as the silence was deafening and the air grew thicker.

"Andy, wait, please." Sullivan said and before he could stop himself he reached out for her hand. The touch was brief and it shocked them both that he actually dared. She let him hold her and didn't care one bit about the walls being from glass.

"I'm sorry." He said and sounded sincere.

"About what?"

"A lot of things. But right now I'm talking about … about telling you to go." He confessed and Andy took a step back, letting his hand fall into the air. She couldn't do this. Not now. Not here. She felt her breath getting quicker and the well known feeling of tears burning in her eyes. No.

Sullivan knew that it was now or never kind of situation. "I screwed up and I'm sorry. I should have been honest with you and I should have told you the truth." He said and it got Andy's attention.

"What do you mean by that?" She asked and looked worried. Could this be any worse? "You told me to go and then avoided me and pushed me away and talked about protecting me and my promotion which you didn't give me anyway so… what is the truth?" She asked.

But before he could answer that question the dispatch called for Aid Car and Engine and Andy had to go.

"I have to go." She said, hating herself for even coming to him in the first place.

"Can we finish this later, please? Can you hear me out?" He asked her and looked so desperate her heart broke again. She just nodded not trusting her voice enough to speak.

Pulling herself together she joined Miller in the Aid Car and they left the station with the rest of the crew that was called to the car accident that involved a fallen tree and some spilled goo all over the road.

Sullivan knew he wouldn't do much work as he couldn't stop thinking about her. And about his upcoming appointment with Dr. Shepherd. He felt like he could use something sweet so he walked to the beanery to check if there was a spare donut left or cake or something, anything. He was battling the pain and he was exhausted.

He noticed Pruitt was still there and wasn't sure if it was good or bad for him. But he didn't seem interested in talking, he was just there, drinking coffee. Sullivan checked and found some cake.

"Do you mind if I sit down, Sir?" He asked Pruitt.

"Of course not." Pruitt answered and watched Sullivan sit down with a huge piece of cake on his plate. Sullivan dug in and enjoyed the taste.

"Didn't know you had a sweet tooth, Sullivan." Pruitt said with a smile in his voice. Sullivan didn't say anything so Pruitt did. "Did she come to talk to you?" He asked and watched as Sullivan started to cough the cake. It took him a moment to breathe normally again.

"I know my daughter." Pruitt said and Sullivan nodded.

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to her, I have… I have a lot to explain and even more to apologize for. But before I could actually do that she got called so…"

"Are you going to tell her about the promotion?" Pruitt asked.

"What do you want me to say to that, Sir?" Sullivan asked back. And Pruitt didn't know. He took some time before answering.

"Do what you believe is best." He told him and Sullivan wasn't sure how to take that. "And for what is worth, Robert, I owe you an apology. So… I'm sorry for what I said and I'm sorry for how I treated you. I didn't understand and I was mad."

"Sir…"

"Don't try to tell me there is nothing between you and my daughter though." Pruitt added. "I don't know what exactly happened and it's just between you two but I…"

"There is nothing going on because I had a very valid reason to stop it from happening." Sullivan replied. It got Pruitt's attention. "I suffer from CRPS." He said and Pruitt was speechless. "There is no usual way it happens, every case is different. In my case it's about episodes of sharp pain that comes and goes. And it's not something she should be part of." Sullivan summarized and taking the plate to the sink he wanted to leave. What was he trying to do anyway? Talking to her? Apologizing? What for?

"Maybe you should let her decided that, son." Pruitt said. Sullivan heard him but didn't turn around. He left the beanery and felt like he could just go to bed already. Battling the pain was exhausting and these days it was more present than absent. He was only lucky his skin stayed the same and that there was no swelling. It was more difficult to stand it without the meds but he gave Warren and Dr. Shepherd his word and he would not break it.

His day got worse before it had a chance to get better as report came back from Miller informing Station 19 and dispatch that Lieutenant Herrera got hurt during assisting at the scene of crash. He asked for extra Aid Car. The victim from the car crash needed to be taken to the hospital so they needed someone to come for Andy.

Sullivan wanted to jump to the radio when he heard but instead of that he heard Bishop answering and he was proud of her because she sounded like a real Captain. She had the potential. She could do it. Or so he hoped. It took all his willpower not to go to the hospital to check on Andy. He listened to the conversation and when he heard that Andy got crushed inside the car by another falling tree while helping the victim out, his heart stopped.

He made it through the agonizing wait and he asked Bishop to keep him in the loop. She didn't have to but she just agreed and he noticed how worried she looked.

"She'll be fine, Bishop." He said.

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself, Sir?" She asked back.

"Both probably." He answered.

He stayed in his office till Pruitt called him from the hospital that he's taking Andrea home, that aside from cuts and bruises she was okay. It looked bad but the wounds were superficial and nothing to really worry about. She'd be sore probably but other than that she'd be okay.

He thanked him and felt like crying in relief. He got home and took a shower but couldn't stop thinking about it. About her. Before he knew what was he doing he dialed her number and waited if she would pick up her phone. And she did.

"Hi."

"Andy." He said and exhaled.

"I'm fine. It's nothing really."

"Yeah, I just… I was worried." He admitted. "I was really worried."

"Don't be." She told him softly. And despite everything that made sense she asked him if they could finish their conversation.

"What? Now?"

"Yeah, now. If you open your door." She said and he wasn't sure he heard her right.

"Open my door? Andy where are you?" He asked and walked to his front door. Opening them he saw her there with phone in her hand.

"Well I'm at your door." She said and put her phone back into her pocket.

"You're supposed to be at home, resting."

"Then invite me in and let me rest." She said boldly even though she didn't feel like that at all. Sullivan stepped aside and let her come inside. He closed the door and showed her to the living room. He insisted she'd make herself comfortable on the couch. He had to try really hard not to fuss around her.

"Robert." She called his name and it stopped him from moving around anymore. He came to her and sat down next to her.

"I'm sorry." He apologized again.

"I'm listening." She said and he knew that he was given a second chance.

"CRPS. I suffer from CRPS. And the first time I experienced the pain was when you left to lock the door. I told you to go and kept you at arm's length not because I wasn't interested but because I was in pain and panicking and trying to find a way how to keep going with my life." He said and noticed that it clearly shook her.

Andy had to think about it for a moment. Okay so she could understand what he was saying but she couldn't understand why he didn't say anything. But watching him all nervous she knew that his attitude changed.

"And now? Did you figure it all out?" She asked.

"I'm scared." He confessed and wanted to get up. Andy took his hand though. She pulled him closer and not giving it a second thought, she kissed him. And he froze for a moment before his body reacted and he kissed her back. When they finally parted he was kneeling on the ground in front of her and he was in pain.

"You're exhausted." She noted and he nodded.

"Are you in pain now?"

"Yeah."

"What can I do?"

"Nothing. I need to lie down." He said. Getting up slowly he didn't stop to think it through, he just walked through the apartment to his bedroom. He lied down and cursed like an old sailor. Andy gathered up all her courage and walked to the bedroom after him. She lied down next to him.

"Andy…"

"I'm exhausted too and we still have a lot to talk about. And I'm still mad and I'm sad and my leg and ribs hurt nd… and I recently found out that I sleep much better when you're with me." She said and he only made her more room and let her find a comfortable position next to him.

"What made you stop it all back then?" She asked. "After we came home from L.A." She clarified.

"Ego." He replied.

"What?"

"It's been a really long time for me, Andy. And you're so young and beautiful and I wanted … well I didn't want to disappoint. So telling you my leg was on fire and I couldn't move it wasn't the best plan in my head." He replied and she giggled.

"Men." She said then and snuggled closer. "I'm still mad and sad and hurting."

"I know."

"But I need you." She said.

"I need you too." He replied and soon was falling asleep with Andy in his arms. It was surreal and it felt beautiful. Sure the morning would come and they would have to talk about the rest and face the rest but right now nothing else mattered. Only them.

He wanted to tell her all about his leg and about the promotion but honestly he wasn't sure how to say it all. He wanted to tell her about the drugs he took and he wanted her to know that he was scared and in pain and unsure about his own future.

"Sleep, Robert. I'm not going anywhere." She told him. "Just hold me and sleep." She half whispered and he kissed her hair.

"Always." He replied and soon they were both asleep.

Not exactly what I had in mind but I wanted to finish the story before the next episode is up but real life kicked in, so sorry. Hope it's not a disappointment. It is for me a bit but well… I'm glad I could give you at least this. I know I know, there should have been more but I am exhausted myself. Sorry guys. Besides there's a huge possibility of another story being written after the next episode. Well…. I even might add another chapter here someday.