A/N: Hello, everyone! Thank you so very much for your reviews, follows and favourites. It really means a lot to me. I had accepted Sharon's death, but I had a tiny hope that she would be alive. So, I wanted to explore what could have happened if this story was true. Also, I wanted to say once more that I don't know anything about medical stuff, only what I have seen in movies and series. In fanfiction everything is possible. This chapter is about Rusty's reaction to his mother's plan and comforting each other. I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except from the idea and any characters I may create for this story.
Previously…
"Ready, Rusty?", the doctor approached them with a smile.
"Yes, I am ready.", he nodded and looked at Andy who just smiled at him with a nod.
"Alright, follow me.", they walked a few steps and stopped outside a closed door. "She is getting stronger, but she may tire easily. If you notice that she is getting drowsy, stay by her side and let her sleep. I will come and get you in about half an hour.", he smiled at the younger man and nodded to him to open the door and go inside.
"Alright. Here we go.", he took a deep breath and placed a hand on the handle.
He pushed the handle downwards and when he heard the click, he pushed the door to open. It was a little heavier than others, but he figured that it was normal. The sight in front of him caught his attention. There was his mother laying in a hospital bed again, but this time safe, alive and getting stronger. There was a machine on her left side that monitored her heart and her vitals. After watching the monitor for a few seconds, he turned his attention to his mother. She was a little pale, but nothing like the last two times she had ended up in the hospital. She had her eyes closed and it seemed like she was more at peace now.
He took a deep breath and let a tear fall before wiping it away. Slowly he approached the bed from her right side and just looked at his mother for a few seconds. Eventually, he sat down on the chair next to the bed and took hold of her hand making it more real to him that she was there in front of him, that she was alive. He lifted it to his lips and kissed the back of her hand letting a few tears fall freely now.
"Rusty.", she was so relieved to see her right next to her, safe and alive. "You are alright, honey.", she let a few tears of relied fall.
"Mom.", he stood up quickly and hugged her gently, as he was worried that he was going to hurt her if he held more tightly. He started crying from relief, at being able to hug his mother again. "I am so glad that you are alive. I love you so much, mom.", he tightened his hold on her just a little bit and felt her rubbing his back soothingly.
For the next couple of minutes neither said anything. They were just relieved and happy to hold each other. Sharon felt like a weight was lifted from her heart and shoulders as she was holding her son in her arms. Knowing that Stroh was dead and Rusty was no longer in danger made it easier for her to relax and breathe.
"Why did you do it, mom?", he asked as he pulled back from the embrace and started pacing in the room.
"Rusty.", she whispered with a smile. She knew that they would all be relieved to be alive, but they were also going to be upset or even furious with her about the whole thing.
"Do you know what it did to us watch you collapse in your office? We all run to your office wanting to help you. The lieutenant and Buzz had to drag me away from your office as I was screaming for you. I had time to watch Julio do CPR on you before they pulled me away.", he couldn't stop pacing. He was feeling so relieved that she was alive, but he was also furious with her for putting them through so much pain. "Andy was with you in the ambulance while the rest of us followed closely behind. A nurse showed us the waiting room, but I couldn't sit down. I was so worried about, but I had to keep an eye on Andy as well. He was ready to collapse when the doctor informed the two of us that you were dead. For a minute I was afraid that he was going to collapse as well and in the end I was going to plan for two funerals.", he stopped for a moment and looked at his mother. "The next three weeks were full of grief and tears for you, worry about Andy, Emily and Ricky, fear and determination about Stroh.", he watched as she let the tears fall freely.
"Oh, Rusty.", she took a deep breath trying to calm herself. "It was so very hard to suggest that plan. It hurt me so much to think all the pain that my death would cause you.", she wiped her tears away with her hands.
"I know that Stroh would have probably wanted to get you out of the way before going after me. I know that it would be easier if he only had one target to concentrate on, but what would have happened if something went wrong while they were doing the heart transplant? What would have happened if you died a few days after your fake death? The doctor would have to inform us about it and we would go through all that pain for a second time. It would be even worse the second time because we would know that there had been one last chance for you to be alive.", he wiped his own tears and took a deep breath trying to hold any tears back.
"I know, honey.", she looked at him and took hold of his hand. "Doctor Torres had explained to me everything about the two options I had. I thought about everything while I was in the hospital the last time before the doctor released me. I knew that I was taking great risks with this plan. I knew that if something went wrong, it would be even worse for you. I had to take the chance, Rusty.", she took a deep breath. "I know that it might have been easier if I had included you to my plan, but I needed all of you to be real about your grief for me. If you knew about my plan, there would be danger that one of you would do something to reveal it. I could very well be dead, Rusty. My heart did seize two times that day.", she wiped her tears away. "I am so sorry for all the pain I caused you by faking my death, but I would do it again in a heartbeat if it meant that in the end you would be safe. You are alive, Rusty. That is what matters to me, honey. You are all safe and Stroh is finally out of our lives for good.", she squeezed his hand and smiled at him.
"Oh, mom.", he took a deep breath and looked at his mother. "I am so very glad that you alive.", he sat down next to her and lay in her arms trying to be gentle.
"I am very glad too, honey.", she started rubbing his back soothingly. "I will be able to watch you becoming a lawyer and watch all of my kids forming their own families.", she smiled at that thought.
"We need to see how we are going to break the news to everyone else, especially Emily and Ricky.", he pulled back and looked at his mother. "They are going to be very glad that you are alive, but they are going to be mad as well. It may be even worse than me.", he looked down at their hands when she took hold of her hand. "Emily was a mess for the few days she was here. She broke down in front of me twice. The first time we were alone in your room, the second time Ricky was with us. She made me promise that I would stay safe, because she couldn't lose me as well.", he lifted his head to look at her.
"Oh, my baby girl.", she felt tears in her eyes as she thought of her daughter being so sad. "Emily was always the most sensitive and emotional. She always tried to be strong, help and take care of the others. Many times I had found her crying in her room late at night. Especially when she would hear me fighting with her father. She would take her brother in her room, give him her Walkman to listen to music and hold him in her arms. She never let him hear the fights between their father and me, and if he heard she would put his mind at ease.", she smiled sadly at her son when he squeezed her hand.
"That's my sister.", he simply said with a sad smile. "We also need to see how we are going to break the news to the team. Although, I will let you talk about that with Andy. He told me that he had an idea, but didn't tell me what that idea was.", he shrugged at her.
"Tell me about the team. How is everyone?", she asked curious about everything that she missed the last three weeks.
"Well, I will start with Julio. He is now a lieutenant and transferred to Criminal Intelligence.", he looked at her to see her reaction.
"I am very proud of him. The team will definitely miss him, but I completely understand his reasoning. Our job is very difficult and dangerous and he has Mark to think now.", she smiled at her son. "We are still going to see him. We will organize a gathering at least once a month with everyone. What about the others?", she had a feeling that something else had changed with the team.
"Buzz has the next eighteen weeks off to attend the academy and come back in the team as a probationary detective.", he smiled when she chuckled.
"I suppose that his dream will finally come true. He is going to be an amazing detective.", she smiled proud of the young man. "I assume Lt. Provenza was put in charge of Major Crimes.", she looked at her a little worried that Chief Mason took the job from him.
"Yes, he is in charge of Major Crimes. But now that you are alive, what is going to happen?", he was curious about it now he thought of it.
"It will not change a thing, Rusty. We discussed it with Chief Mason and Doctor Torres.", she took a deep breath before continuing. "Lt. Provenza will stay in charge of Major Crimes. I still have a long recovery road ahead of me, honey. I will be out for at least the next four months. After that we will see what is going to happen. I could continue working, but limited hours or I could retire. I don't know, Rusty.", she shrugged at him. "I have to think about it. I have to speak with Andy, Doctor Torres and Chief Mason. It will be a while before we will take any final decisions.", she squeezed his hand and smiled at her son reassuringly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then leaned back on the pillows.
"Rest, mom. I will stay a few more minutes with you before the doctor comes and get me, so Andy can come in and see you.", he smiled at her and sat down on the chair holding her hand.
A few minutes later the doctor came to take him. He placed a soft kiss on his mother's forehead and followed the doctor outside where Andy was already dressed to go inside. The doctor left them to go about his rounds saying that he will back later to get Andy. Rusty looked at his stepfather as the doctor left.
"So, how is she?", Andy asked a little worried about his wife.
"She is definitely better than the last two times she ended up here.", he took a deep breath. "I got a little furious with her, but she managed to calm me down. She was resting when the doctor came to get me. Mom is going to be very happy to see you. She is a little worried about you.", he smiled at the older man.
"She is the one that got the heart transplant and she is worried about me?", he chuckled along with Rusty. "That woman is never going to change. Do you want to go home or wait for me?", he asked softly.
"I will wait for you.", Rusty told him as he started taking everything off to throw it.
"Alright. Send a message to Patrice to let her know that we will a little late. If she asks tell her that we were caught in traffic and just got home. Alright?", he placed a hand on the young man's shoulder and squeezed lightly.
"Yes. Don't worry.", he smiled at his stepfather and left to go sit in the waiting room.
Andy walked the few steps and stopped right outside his wife's hospital room. He took a deep breath and opened the door. He slowly approached the bed and stopped letting out a relieved sigh upon seeing his wife. "Sharon!", he just couldn't believe it.
A/N: Sorry to end it here. Please leave a review to let me know what you think. I will try to update the third chapter as soon as possible.