"There's my speed racer," he flashed a grin at her as he spotted her when he rounded the corner. "Hey there, Gorgeous."

Sharon looked up from her position, walking next to the nurse. She was really focusing on her movements, so she didn't fall or lose her balance at all. She met his eyes and gave him a small smile, "Hi, but I've told you I might just hit you with this cane for joking about my walking."

Andy's eyes sparkled as he walked toward her, and he nodded to the nurse. She eyed them, and after realizing the two were joking out of love for each other, she took a step back from Sharon. She'd been at her side, making sure she didn't fall.

"Your husband, I presume, is just encouraging you," the nurse said and smiled to Sharon while she nodded toward Andy.

"We're only married in her dreams," Andy said and then grimaced as the words came out. They didn't sound as he meant, like a joke again, and he shook his head. "I mean, I'm her boyfriend; although, she did dream we were married when she was in her coma. Andy," he said, sticking out his hand.

"Andy, this is Celina," Sharon gestured to her nurse. "Celina has just moved to the floor and has evening shifts. Celina, this is part of my motivation to get home, Andy, my favorite person, as long as he's not cracking jokes about my using a cane." Sharon met Andy's gaze, and he winked at her, which in turn, had Sharon rolling her eyes.

"Nah," Andy waved, sticking his hand out to meet Celina. "Nice to meet you, and if you haven't already figured it out, Sharon hates any assistance while walking. She's a fighter and determined to do this on her own."

"Yes," Celina smiled brightly. "She's doing a wonderful job, just a little unsteady still, but that's improving a lot too."

Andy nodded and looked at Sharon, who was just staring at the two, as if they were talking without her there. She met Andy's gaze, and he leaned in to kiss her quickly. "Sorry I'm late. Work was, well, work. I was buried in paperwork, but I don't need to tell you how that goes."

"We're just finishing our lap around the hallway," Sharon said. "I've tried to walk each hour today."

"Wow," Andy nodded, impressed. "That's great, Sharon. I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier to walk with you. Celina, I can finish walking with her."

She nodded, "I'm sure she would enjoy that. What do you do for a living?"

"Oh," Andy flashed a grin. "I work for her," he winked at Sharon and nodded to her. Celina gave him an odd look, and he chuckled and continued, "It's true. I'm a homicide detective. She's my boss, and I'm filling in a lot for her right now, at least the paperwork and meeting part." He looked at Sharon and rolled his eyes, "Provenza picks and chooses what he wants to do or meetings he wants to attend, and then, I'm stuck with everything else. He told Fritz we're a package deal, stepping in for you right now."

Sharon just rolled her eyes and gestured to Andy, "See what I have to deal with and why I might need to use this cane?"

Celina started to laugh and nodded. "Well, it isn't the first work romance I've heard of around here," she gestured to the hospital. "My own husband is a respiratory therapist. Anyway, I'll leave you two to walk, and I'll be by later to check on you. Don't overdue it, Sharon," she smiled at her.

Andy winked at Sharon and leaned in to kiss her again. Sharon steadied herself by grabbing onto his shoulder as he kissed her and returned the kiss. She smiled up at him, and he offered his arm.

"You getting tired? I'll happily escort you back to the room," he said.

"I'll make it," she shook her head slightly. "You know I won't give up or quit."

He rolled his eyes slightly, "Leaning on me isn't giving up, but I understand. You've made a lot of progress. How's the shoulder today?"

"Stiff, sore, a real pain," she admitted as they continued their walk. "The doctor said it's healing nicely, but it's not enough for me. He still wants me to use this cane. I'm just glad I can't use a walker with the shoulder," she sighed. "I'd never hear the end of it with any of you if they had me using a walker. At least I'm steady enough for just the cane, and hopefully, I won't need that much longer."

Andy nodded as he listened, and then, he said, "Doc still planning to release you tomorrow? I hope so, Sharon. I can't wait for you to be home. I told Provenza I would be out a couple days when you do go home. So, is it still tomorrow?"

She nodded, focusing on her walking. Sharon paused in her steps to answer him, almost like she couldn't easily do both things at the same time, "Yes, finally," she sighed. "I will be going home, just outpatient therapy now. I was going to have words with him if he kept me here after Halloween and into the holidays."

Andy chuckled, and the two started to walk again, this time, Sharon, without asking, looping her injured arm around Andy's. He didn't dare comment on it. He was glad she was using him for stability, but he knew if he commented, she would pull her arm away. Sharon was tired. She'd been really pushing herself to prove she was okay to go home the last few days. It was getting closer to Halloween now. Since she'd been awake, she'd been in the hospital another couple weeks, moving to an in-patient rehab area. Finally, she was ready for discharge. She could move, with the help of a cane, pretty well short distances. She'd promised that she would mainly be at home, and for appointments, Andy and Rusty had promised to take her and assist with anything. The month in a coma had taken a toll on her basic movements. She was still struggling to get back on her feet, quite literally. It was a slow process, and some of it had to do with her age. She wasn't bouncing back like she wanted. She was tired and winded easily. Her legs ached. Physical therapy on her legs and on her shoulder was painful, but she was doing it, pushing herself to get better.

"I, for one, can't wait for you to be home," Andy said quietly, almost leaning into her ear in a playfully, flirtatious tone. "The kids are very excited you are doing well, as is the team. Everyone wants you out of here."

She squeezed her fingers into his arm, the way she could acknowledge him right now as she focused on walking. Soon, they reached her room, and she let out a long sigh, "A lap around the hospital should not be that hard."

"I know," he patted her hand, still clutching his arm. "A week ago, though, you couldn't even do that. You were barely getting in a full lap, and as you told me, you've done this a few times today, yes?" Andy looked down into her eyes and he brushed a stray hair out of her face. She still had on her backup glasses, and he'd promised to take her to order new ones when she was out of the hospital.

"Yes, I know," she scoffed. "Still. I can't wait to be home tomorrow, but I know you and Rusty are going to want to do every little thing for me."

"I'll make you a deal," Andy winked as they stood at her door. "I promise that Rusty and I won't hover these next few days. I'll promise you we will back off, at least through Sunday. If we can make it that long, I'm sure we'll find a normal routine that works, with no hovering."

Sharon narrowed her gaze at him. He just smiled warmly at her, his eyes sparkling. To distract her, he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. She started to pull it back, "No, there's something off about your deal. Now, you're just trying to romance you."

"Romance you?" Andy raised an eyebrow at her hand, still in his. "I have many, many thoughts about romancing you, Sharon, when you are ready. Hovering is not romancing you, or I should say, lack of hovering. I promise, Rusty and I won't hover. Deal?"

She rolled her eyes and turned slightly to look away, "Fine," she said. "I still smell something off here. It's Wednesday. You're promising that between Thursday and Sunday, no hovering. I don't you will make it to the weekend, for whatever reason you chose that, but fine."

"Great," he winked. "Emily will hover."

"Emily!" Sharon's eyes widened, as she looked up at him. She started to gesture with her hand holding the cane, and quickly, realized that wasn't a good idea, as it made her unsteady. Andy grabbed hold of her arm better and gestured for her to enter her room first. "Emily is coming home?"

"She is," he chuckled lightly. "Surprise. She's on her way now, and as much as she wants to rush here when she lands, I'm afraid you will already be asleep. I know you aren't one big on surprises, and she knows that too. She asked if it was okay to come out here to see you for a few days. Of course, I told her it was more than fine, and then, she booked her flight. She's taken off for this weekend, which works with her schedule because they aren't starting her holiday performances for another couple weeks. Anyway, she is here until Monday morning. She wanted to stay longer, but she has some things with work she can't move around anymore. She's due to land around 11, and I'm going to get her and then head home. I'm yours until then," he winked and leaned in where he kissed her head. She reached the side of her bed, and she hooked the cane she had over the edge of it and maneuvered to sit before she said more.

"I can't believe she's surprising me," Sharon sighed. "I can't wait to see her. It's been so wonderful seeing her over video chat, Ricky too, and this, this is wonderful, Andy."

"Good," he nodded. "She wanted me to tell you she was coming so it wasn't a total surprise tomorrow. She knows you're doing well, but I think she was afraid a big surprise would rattle you. I told her you're the toughest woman I know, but obviously, I agreed to tell you."

"Oh, there's a lot to do to get ready for her," Sharon sighed as she shifted into the bed. Andy helped her and listened, "The condo will be tight, but it should be okay," she nodded. "Gosh, the kids haven't been home with you and I living there together, yet. Emily usually stayed with me in my room after Rusty moved in, usually."

"Sharon," Andy put his arm on her shoulder. She stopped talking and looked up at him, "It's all handled. Emily's a grown woman and aware of the size of the condo. She and I talked about it. I told her she was welcome there, that we would make it work, but seeing as how you are coming home just now, she didn't want to crowd things too much. Rusty offered his room to her, and she declined. She's actually going to stay with Jack. It's worked out, and everyone is okay with it, even Jack. I'm picking up Emily because Jack is actually out of town until tomorrow with a case, so he says," Andy rolled his eyes. "He's left a key for Emily, so she has his place alone tonight, but she'll ride with me tomorrow to come here and bring you home."

"Okay," Sharon chuckled, "I know this has to be a dream. Never in reality did you get along with Jack enough to work out all of this. Seriously, this is all okay, and Jack is on board?"

"It is," he offered a small shrug and playful wink. "Even I can play nice when it involves anything about you. I love you, and because of that, I'm making an effort to play nice with the big, bad bully. Jack has been halfway decent through all of this, even I have to admit it. Now, he's taken his shots at me, all the stupid comments and all, but still, he's been decent. More importantly, he's been concerned, which is not an emotion I thought Jack was capable of displaying."

"Concerned," she raised an eyebrow. "That does surprise me, but I do have to admit in his own sick, twisted way, he claims to still care about me," she sighed and shook her head. "You know," she nodded, "thinking back to my coma, that was odd too. You know bits and pieces hit me every now and then from it."

"What's that?" Andy asked. "What was odd? Jack? He's always odd," Andy winked.

"Several things," Sharon paused to gather her memories again. "My dream was so odd, and I told you I thought that I died. I worked so hard, pushed myself with that heart condition, which now, we know was me subconsciously hearing you talk about your heart attack and putting that on myself. I told you I was dreaming that I pushed myself so hard with a heart condition that I died, but what is odd to me is that I knew all about my funeral. I know; I know," she raised a hand. "It was all a dream, so it's not supposed to make sense. Jack wasn't at the funeral, and honestly, I would have expected him there."

Andy raised an eyebrow, "Oh, me too. I would have expected a fight, if I had to be honest. I would have expected on the worst day of my life for him to walk in, a smug expression, and tell me that he had more right to sit in my spot, that I wasn't the husband like he was."

"As I told you, in my dream, we were married," Sharon pointed to him.

"Right," Andy grimaced, "so, we got married, and you died after that? That's horrible, Sharon."

"I know," she shook her head. "It's so sick and twisted. I'm glad it was only a dream, but yes, Jack would have been there, or I should say, I would have expected him there."

"Well," Andy stepped closer and sat down on the side of the bed, putting his arm around her and taking her hand in his free hand, "I'm glad it was only a dream, most of it. You dying, that would have been a nightmare. I'm glad we're putting this mess behind us, and you are finally coming home. Emily is going to be here for a few days, and you can enjoy time with her. I'll get you home tomorrow, get you settled, and then, I'll let you spend time with her. I can work through the weekend because I didn't tell you before now we are on call. It would have spoiled the Emily surprise. I'm working this weekend, but then, I'm off Monday and Tuesday. I already told Provenza I might not show up the rest of next week, so I can spend time with my favorite lady."

"Andy, I will be fine at home," she said, looking him in the eye. "I don't need you hovering."

"Who's hovering? I'm going to just take some time off to rest. My doctor said that's good too. Boss isn't around, so," he stopped talking and winked.

"Besides, I'm hoping to get back to work soon, even on a limited basis," she told him.

"Sharon," he sighed loudly. "There's no reason to rush. Doc wants you to rest. Work is handled. We're big boys; we've grown up a lot and are not the screw-up department anymore. You've taught us well, and believe me, it's no secret we are a couple and that I'm doing all the paperwork for you," he grinned. "Just shows we are a team in more ways than one. This seems messed up. I'm trying to take a few days off work to rest at home as instructed, and you're trying to get out of the house and back to work, when instructed to stay home. How about we stay home together, cozy up together in that great room of ours, and just enjoy being with each other? We barely had a moment to do that after I moved in and before you were injured. I just want some normal time at home with you. Through all of this, we've both come to realize life is short, so we'd better make the most of it."

"Okay, fine," she relented. "It's not that I don't want to be at home with you, Andy, our home," she clarified. "I just want to get back to normal, to get back to work, because that is normal."

"I know," he lifted her hand and kissed it again. "I think it's time to find some new normal things for home, just creating our life together. Maybe we can do a puzzle. Maybe we could binge-watch a tv series. Sharon as long as I'm with you, I'm good."

"I do agree about putting family first. I do know that I never want work to be more important than family," she looked at him, raising her hand to cup his cheek. "One of the things I haven't told you about my dream is that I worked myself to death even though you, Rusty, Emily, Ricky, all the kids-even Provenza and the team, warned me to stop, to slow down. I ignored everything, and that didn't end well. My dream had me dying at work, putting work ahead of what matters most in my life, my family. You, all of you, are more important, and I do know that. I guess I'm just almost anxious to be normal, but I will try to take one step at a time and enjoy the moment, enjoy you." Sharon leaned in and kissed him, Andy then wrapping his arm loosely around her waist. They continued to kiss for a few moments, and when they pulled back for air, they put their heads together.

"I can't wait to have you back home, to hold you in my arms," he said quietly.

"In our room," Sharon smiled brightly at him. "I haven't really asked you, but is the condo starting to feel like home at all?"

"A little," he admitted with a small shrug. "I know we didn't around to putting out many of my things before you were shot. I've done a little of that, pictures of Nicole, Nate, and the kids. I had a couple of us that you didn't have out, but the rest, I wanted your input. I wanted to know what we could do to blend our things."

Sharon cupped his face as ran her hand up through his hair as he spoke. She pursed her lips, "That was another odd thing about my dream. We were married in the condo, but it didn't seem like you lived there at all. There were no pictures out with you, none of your things. Your favorite baseball blanket that we used to use at your house all the time, it wasn't in the basket by the couch like I would expect. Your things weren't there, which I know, it was a dream, but still, it just all felt off."

"It was a dream, only a dream," he said sweetly and squeezed her hand. "I do find it fascinating it was so vivid, Sharon. You really seem to remember a lot of details from it. "See, this is something we can do next week. We can dig out some of my boxes and blend OUR house," he emphasized. "I'd like that very much."

"I'm now very much looking forward to that, you being home with me next week," she smiled sweetly at him. "I can't believe I'm finally leaving here. It's been so long. In ways, I feel like no time has gone by, but in other ways, I do know it's been what, almost seven weeks now, yes?"

"Yes," he nodded. "We'll get you home. You can start to get back to normal. You can spend time with Emily, with all of us. Ricky has been out of town for work, as you know, the last week, but he wants to get back down here as soon as he can."

"I know he's had a terrible schedule lately," she sighed.

"He has, but he's been worried, Sharon, very worried. We talk a lot," Andy admitted.

She nodded and grinned, "Better than my dream, then. In that, he did like you. He liked you a lot, so much, that he was trying to almost play puppeteer, trying to make sure things between you and me were perfect."

"They are perfect," Andy grinned and kissed her head. "We're perfect for each other. The kids know that, and when we get you out of here tomorrow, we are going to start living this perfect life together."