A/N: due to school and work, updating this story took me longer than I expected. I hope you enjoy reading our beloved couple unable to get right yet another marriage proposal.

The shopping cart rolled down the empty aisle, going off its path and crashing into the shelves, causing several cans and jars that were on there to fall to the floor. The tiles were stained with several sauces and juices.

A loud and angry voice shouted a string of obscenities that made Sharon's ears blush. She was currently lying on the floor, on top of a little girl that passed by her when she heard the first shot. She raised her head, trying to locate Andy, but he was out of sight. She tried to spot him in the round security mirror, but that was unsuccessful as well. The security mirror was not installed in the right place, and she was unable to tell what aisle she was in and how far from the shooters she was. The little girl began to sob, and Sharon gently shifted.

"I want my mommy," the girl said. Sharon looked around her. They were alone in the aisle.

"I don't know where she is," Sharon said. Upon realizing that the girl might start screaming and draw the unwanted attention of the shooters, she added. "We'll go look for her, but you have to be very quiet and do everything I say. Can you do that?" The girl nodded. Sharon looked at her for a moment. The girl was no older than five. "What's your name?"

"Chrissy," the girl replied.

"Okay, Chrissy. I am Sharon. We are going to crawl to the next aisle and see if your mother is there. But we have to be silent," Sharon explained and showed the girl how to do an army crawl. She heard a string of shouts from the front of the store and getting Chrissy out of the danger zone seemed like the best course of action. She hoped that she would find either Chrissy's mother or Andy on the way, but she reminded herself that her job as a police officer was to protect and to serve, and Chrissy's safety was more important than Sharon's worries. Chrissy's mother wasn't in the first aisle, and the two continued to crawl to the next aisle.

"Mommy isn't here," Chrissy said when she raised her head to look at the aisle. They began to move towards the next aisle, but a pool of blood made Sharon stop, and she placed her hand on Chrissy's shoulder to stop her as well.

"Chrissy, I want you to wait here for just a minute, okay?" Sharon asked, and the little girl nodded. Sharon crawled into the following aisle, immediately noticing the body that was laying on the ground. It was a woman in her thirties, and Sharon took a deep breath, realizing that this could be Chrissy's mother. It took her a moment to decide what to do. She backed out of the aisle and found Chrissy right where she left her.

"Did you find my mommy?" the little girl asked.

"No, sweetheart, she's not there. But I need you to do me a favor. I need you to close your eyes and keep on crawling straight, very silently, can you do that?" Chrissy nodded, and Sharon watched the girl crawl forward, a little wobbly with her eyes shut. As soon as Chrissy crossed the aisle, Sharon followed her. She threw another look in the security mirror. There was someone in the next aisle, possibly another shopper. Sharon went forward and sneaked a gaze at the person sitting there, quickly realizing it was Andy, who was bent down and holding his gun. She let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding and turned into the aisle, with Chrissy in her footsteps.

"Sharon, thank God. You're safe," he said when he saw her. She let him wrap his arm around her. "Who's that?" he motioned towards Chrissy.

"This is Chrissy, we're looking for her mother," Sharon explained. "Chrissy, this is Andy." The little girl's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you doing back here?"

"I was looking for you, and when I couldn't locate you, I just settled for the safest place I could find and tried to figure out how many robbers are taking out the store," Andy said.

"And?"

"Three or four. There's a casualty in aisle 5, and I think they killed one of the cashiers as well," Andy said. "I'm not sure how many hostages there are beside us."

"Have you called for backup?" Sharon asked. Andy nodded in response.

"There's a storage room through that door," he said and pointed towards a door Sharon hasn't noticed before. "And it has a back exit that takes you into the alley behind the store. You should take her and get out of here."

"That's a good plan, come on," Sharon said and began crawling towards the door. It took her a moment to realize that Andy wasn't following her. "Come on!" she whispered.

"I can't leave here," he replied. Sharon crawled back towards him. "When the backup comes, the robbers will try to take the back door. They'll be too busy running away that they won't notice I'm sitting here. I can take them down."

"You can't kill them, Andy. FID will be all over you."

"Do you not know me well enough? Of course, I won't kill them. I'll just stop them from escaping," Andy replied.

"I don't like this plan, Andy. You could get hurt," Sharon sighed. She knew that she wouldn't be able to convince him.

"We chose a dangerous profession, Sharon. We know that any day could be our last," he replied, and Sharon bit her bottom lip. If Chrissy weren't there, she would not even consider leaving him behind. But she couldn't risk the life of a little girl, and she couldn't just send her out in hopes that she will be safe on her own in the street.

"I hate it when you're right," she said and pulled her gun out of its holster. "Take this, just in case."

"Before you leave," Andy took her hand. "In case I don't make it out in one piece, I want you to have this," he said and pulled a velvet box out of the inner pocket of his jacket. He opened it and took a ring out. "I was planning to ask you tonight after dinner, but… well, change of plans." Sharon's jaw dropped, and her eyes widened. "Will you marry me?" Andy whispered. Sharon nodded, feeling tears stinging her eyes. Andy put the ring on her finger and pulled her down for a kiss. "I love you, honey," he said.

"I love you, too," she replied, softly. Andy smiled at her and then motioned towards Chrissy, who looked at them with a confused expression.

"You better get her out of here now," he said, and Sharon nodded, planting another quick kiss on his lips before she began crawling towards the door, with Chrissy following her.

It was only when she and Chrissy went outside that Sharon realized just how stupid Andy's plan was. Did he expect to take down three or four armed guys on his own? She knew it was absurd, and even worse, it was dangerous. But with little Chrissy by her side, she couldn't go back inside. From afar she could hear the sirens of the backup Andy has called and every single inch of her prayed to the heavens above that he would stay safe and healthy.

"Where is my mommy?" Chrissy asked, and Sharon realized now that in her fear, she neglected the little girl's obvious emotional needs.

"She'll be here soon," Sharon promised and picked the little girl up. She heard a gunshot, and then another one and her heart skipped a beat. Chrissy seemed to notice Sharon's obvious panic, even though she tried to hide it and wrapped her arms around Sharon's neck.

"Don't be scared, it's just a movie," she said. Sharon let out a nervous giggle as she realized just how innocent children could be at that age.

"You're right, thank you for reminding me," she said. If the girl was not emotionally affected by the robbery by now, Sharon wasn't going to ruin it for her by telling her that the gunshots came from real live bullets.

"It's a pretty ring," Chrissy said and touched the diamond in Sharon's engagement ring. One that at the moment brought nothing but fear and worry into Sharon's heart. "Like a princess." Sharon smiled at her, realizing just how ready she was to have grandchildren; how she would love to spoil them rotten, with Andy's help. He was such a wonderful grandfather to Nicole's step-children, and Sharon loved being included as their step-grandmother, even though they were not married yet. Oh, how much she wanted to spend the rest of her life by his side. With Chrissy in her arms, Sharon walked around the building to the front of the grocery store, where two black and whites were parking. One of the officers was reading a robber his rights while the other one was ushering the other robber into a police car. Sharon flashed her badge and was allowed to go behind the yellow tape.

"Is everyone safe?" she asked one of the officers.

"Three casualties," the officer said. "One woman, one cashier and one robber."

"My lieutenant is in there," Sharon said.

"He's waiting for FID. He shot one of the robbers who tried to escape through the back door," the officer explained.

"Killed him?" Sharon asked.

"No, just wounded. The guy is gonna be just fine, and the lieutenant is gonna be a hero, if FID lets him out of there alive, that is."

"They will," Sharon smiled. "And he is a hero." Andy's plan has worked and Sharon's chest filled with pride. Her fiancé was so good at his job that he was able to predict the robbers' actions in advance. It shouldn't have caught her by surprise; they've been colleagues for five years, and he was the one who taught her the basics of a murder investigation. She was definitely going to put through a recommendation for the board of police commissioners to consider him for the medal of valor.

"Oh my God, Chrissy!" Sharon heard a woman call out and saw her running towards her.

"Mommy!" Chrissy said and sent her arms forward towards the woman.

"She's safe. She is perfectly safe," Sharon assured the younger woman. "And incredibly brave."

"Thank you. Thank you so much for taking care of my daughter," Chrissy's mother burst into tears.

"There's no need to thank me. I was just doing my job," Sharon said.

"Don't cry mommy," Chrissy said and caressed her mother's face. Sharon squeezed the younger woman's hand.

"She's a delightful little girl," she said to Chrissy's mother and patted her shoulder.

"Thank you again, Miss…"

"Sharon. My name is Sharon." Chrissy's mother wrapped her free arm around Sharon and thanked her again. Sharon smiled. It was moments like this when she felt that she was making a difference in people's lives.

It was not much longer later when Andy came out of the grocery store and walked towards her. Sharon was surprised to see him out of there so soon, as FID usually kept officers under review at the scene of their action for longer than that.

"This is yours," he said and handed her the gun. "I shot mine, but apparently I missed. The guy simply tripped and broke his leg. What an idiot. They found my bullet stuck inside a can of pickles. Or at least they think it's mine. We have to wait for the ballistics report."

"I'm glad that you didn't have to shoot a person," Sharon said. "And I'm glad that you are safe and sound so I can tell you myself what a damn idiot you are."

"What?"

"Proposing to me in a held up grocery store and then sending me out with the thought you might die?" She didn't raise her voice, but the glare in her eyes was one that Andy knew was to be avoided at all cost. "How could you put me through this?"

"So you're not gonna marry me anymore?" he asked, half amused and Sharon grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and pulled him to her for a kiss.

"You ever do that to me again, and I will kill you," she said when their lips parted.

"It will be a sweet death," he joked. "Anyway, FID wants your statement, so you better get back inside," he said. Sharon took his hand, and they walked back into the grocery store, back to aisle number 7 in which she promised Andy her heart forever.

As always, I would love to know your thoughts about this chapter, so feel free to leave a review or send me a PM.