Okay this one was requested by Debbie, enjoy honey xx

Chapter 9

…

Andrea turned over in bed when her phone buzzed on the night stand; she took a hold of the phone and noticed her cousin Sam's name come up on the screen.

"Sam…hey what's up?" She whispered.

"Andie sorry to call you so late but I'm at the hospital with your mom, honey your dad's not gonna last the night, I know your mom wouldn't call you but you should be here."

"Oh my god, okay I'm on my way."

Andrea hung up and slipped out of bed and began dressing, Louie rolled over when he heard a footsteps and looked up to see her dressing.

"Andrea…what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you."

He sat up quickly and got out of bed when he heard the slight crack in her voice; he walked over to where she was standing and placed both hands on her shoulders to steady her.

"Andrea, what is it…talk to me?"

She stood silently for a few minutes before looking up in to the concerned face of Louie Provenza, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"It's my dad…that was my cousin Sam on the phone; she doesn't think…he'll last the night." She said as she broke down in his arms.

Louie held on tightly to Andrea as she cried into his chest, they stood like that for a while before Louie felt it was safe to pull away. He moved away from her and began putting on his shirt and trousers.

"What are you doing?" She sniffed.

"Getting dressed."

"Why?"

"Why? Because I'm coming with you."

"What, oh Louie you don't have…."

"Andrea listen to me, your father is dying and the last thing I want is for you to be alone, especially with that woman."

"Are you sure?"

"What we said to each other last night, they weren't just words Andrea….I love you."

"I love you too…thank you." She half smiled.

"Finish getting dressed and I'll go get the car and bring it round the front."

"Okay, thank you." She said as she kissed him.

…

Sharon's eyes opened immediately when she heard footsteps along the hallway, her cop instincts kicked in right away. Looking over at Andy who was dead to the world, she grabbed her gun and moved slowly to the door and opened in to see Andrea tip toeing away.

"Andrea." Sharon whispered.

"Hey, sorry, we didn't mean to wake anyone."

"We?"

"Sorry, I had a call from my cousin Sam…my dad's dying…I have to go, Louie's driving me to the hospital."

"Oh honey I'm so sorry…why didn't you tell me?"

"This is meant to be a peaceful weekend, I didn't want to depress the rest of you."

Sharon didn't have a response for that and instead gathered Andrea in her arms tightly.

"If you need anything you call us okay, we'll be there right away."

"I will thank you Sharon."

"That's what friends are for."

Sharon watched as Andrea walked down the hallway and out the door, Andy turned over to see Sharon looking worried as she came and sat down on the bed.

"Hey, you okay…what's wrong."

"Oh Andy, we've all been so wrapped up in having fun that we missed the pain Andrea's in."

Andy straightened himself and came and took a seat beside Sharon, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"What are you talking about?"

"Andrea and Louie have just left to go to the hospital."

"The hospital…why?"

"Andrea's father's dying, she never even said anything." She said quietly looking up at him.

"Well that's hardly your fault; she obviously didn't want anyone to know."

"I suppose so."

"Provenva will call if there's any news, we should get some sleep…we leave tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Come on."

Andy moved back to his side of the bed as Sharon climbed back under the covers and wrapped herself tightly around Andy, her head resting on his chest as she closed her eyes, smiling a little when he placed a kiss to the top of her head.

…

Louie pulled up outside the hospital in just under an hour; Andrea sat staring at the entrance from the passenger's side, a tear falling down her face. Louie reached across and took tight hold of her hand, she looked over to him and smiled in thanks before letting go and getting out of the car. The wind had picked up and she cursed herself for not wearing a warmer jacket, Louie came around and wrapped his arm around her waist as they walked inside. Andrea walked quickly along the long corridor and up the stairs to where her father was being cared for, as they made their way along another corridor Andrea could see her mom and cousin sitting in the chairs outside, right away Andrea could see Sam was crying.

"Oh my god…I'm too late."

"You don't know that."

Andrea's mom looked up when she heard the clicking of heels on the hard floor to see her daughter walking towards them.

"Who the hell called her?"

"I'm sorry Veronica…I had too."

"You?"

"She has a right to say goodbye to her father."

"Mom?"

"I don't want you here."

"I'm not here for you, I came to say goodbye to my father."

"You're not seeing him."

"Yes she is." Sam stated.

"Sam."

"No, I'm sorry but this is cruel, to not even let her say goodbye to her father, a man she loved and will never see again, no…you don't get to do that to her. He's in there Andrea, go ahead."

Andrea moved to hug her cousin, "Thank you Sam."

"Don't mention it…go."

Andrea squeezed her cousin's hand before giving moving to Louie.

"Do you want to come in with me?"

"No I'll wait here; you need to do this part on your own. I'll be right here when you come out, I promise."

Louie kissed her before she retreated into the room, the only light to be seen was the light above the bed, and the nurse was just finishing up when Andrea came to the side of her.

"I'll leave you two alone, are you Andrea?"

"Yeah I am."

"I'm Sarah, I've been looking after him while he's been here…he talked a lot about you."

"Really."

"His daughter the great DDA…he was very proud of you, remember that."

Andrea could feel the tears falling from her eyes as Sarah gave her arm a gentle touch before leaving father and daughter alone. Andrea felt strange being alone with him; her mother had always been close by whenever Andrea had been by to visit him, keeping an eye on them. She reached out and took hold of his hand, noticing how cold it was.

"Hey dad, well I'm here. I don't really know what to say, I've met someone, his names Louie…he's a bit older but he's a great guy, you'd like him…he's a lot like you I guess. Oh dad, I do love you and I'm so sorry that mom and I couldn't get along."

Andrea looked up when she heard the beeping of the machine slow down a little.

"Dad, I know we don't have much time but I want to thank you…for everything. You believed in me, even when I decided I didn't want to be a doctor and gave it up to become a DA. I'll continue to make you proud I promise…I love you dad…always." She cried as she bends down and placed a kiss to his forehead as the machine flat lined.

Andrea stood silently stroking his hair for a few minutes and tried to regain herself before she stepped out in to the corridor to see her mom, Sam and Louie watching her and her tears began again.

"He's…gone." She cried.

Her mom pushed past her and ran in to the room.

"I'm so sorry Andie." Sam said hugging her. "Will you look after her out here?" She asked Louie.

He nodded and Sam made her way in to the room to Andrea's mom. Louie turned Andrea to him and held her in his arms as she cried her heart out.

"It's okay Andrea, he's a peace now. He spoke in to her hair.

"I know…I just really miss him Louie."

"I know sweetheart…I know."

Sharon heard the vibration of her phone and immediately opened the message she'd received. Andy sat up and put his arm around her.

"What is it Sharon?"

"It's Louie…Andrea's father just passed away." She said silently as she turned to him, her face full of sadness for her friend.

Andy pulled her close to him and held her "It's okay Sharon; we'll be here for her…that's what friends are for."

"Thank you…Andy?"

"Mmmm."

"I love you."

"I love you too." He said kissing her.

…

To Be Continued…