(Let me start by saying I'm really sorry it's taken me awhile to update. I'm in college and it's exam week for me, my mind had to focus elsewhere. I also had writers block, I wrote the second half of this story first and then came back to write the beginning, I just couldn't figure out where I wanted to go , as I was writing it I came up with an entire string of ideas and I hope your willing to go along for the ride, let me know what you think, always open to ideas!)

Sharon looked nervously at Rusty as she walked further into the living room, "Rusty there is something I want to talk to you about, why don't we sit down?" Rusty did as Sharon asked and sat down on the couch. He set his bowl on the coffee table looking at her as she took the seat next to him.

"Rusty, I've been thinking about this for a long time now, ever since your fath-Daniel relinquished his rights to you." Sharon took a deep breath and reached for Rusty's hands, the look in his eyes held fear for what she would say next, as did hers. Sharon loved this boy more than words could describe and she only wanted the best for him.

"Rusty, I love you like you are own and I want you to feel that way, I want to do what's best for you, Rusty I want to make you a part of our family, I want this to be your home."

Rusty stared at Sharon for a moment, his mind had gone somewhere far off and Sharon sat patiently waiting for him to return with a response, a blink, a twitch, something. Rusty returned back from his own thoughts looking at Sharon, "I don't understand."

Sharon smiled at Rusty still holding his hands in hers a tear now visibly streaming down her face, "Rusty, I want to adopt you."

"Adopt me?" Rusty was stunned, on one hand he desperately wanted to be a part of Sharon's family, on the other, he still very much loved his mother and wanted her in his life. "I don't know what to say."

Sharon nodded as she continued to hold onto Rusty's hands hoping the disappointment she was feeling in her heart wasn't showing in her face. "You can think about it for as long as you need. It's a big decision Rusty and I understand you need time to think about it." Sharon smiled briefly as she released Rusty's hands placing hers back on her knees looking at him.

She hadn't expected Rusty not to be sure of what he wanted. Sharon had always tried to view things as Rusty did in order to understand his views on the situation. However this wasn't a normal situation, she was asking him to be a part of her family, her son, and this was a completely new territory that Sharon never expected to face.

"Sharon I love you, I just-"Rusty sighed not knowing the words to use, he wanted to say yes because he did love Sharon and was grateful for the way she had taken him in. On the other hand Rusty still missed his own mother very much and had hope she would still return. If he accepted Sharon's offer it meant he would never get that opportunity. Rusty finally shrugged his shoulders looking into Sharon's tear stained eyes, "I guess I need some time to think about it."

"Of course Rusty, take all the time you need, I understand" Sharon smiled at Rusty kissing his forehead as she stood turning back to the kitchen wiping her tears away as she walked into the kitchen to grab a drink. Once hidden behind the wall she rested her head against the cool steel fridge collecting her thoughts and her tears… he needs time, be patient Sharon. Sharon sighed as she opened the fridge reaching for the bottle of juice hearings Rusty's voice from the couch.

"I can still go to Jake's house today right? He's expecting me be over there in like 30 minutes." Rusty walked into the kitchen standing next to the counter looking at Sharon for a response, he needed to get away for a while, it was too hard to see her hurting and knowing he was behind it.

"Of course, have fun." Sharon smiled at Rusty regaining her composure as she poured a glass of juice and putting it back, "take your phone with you and be home before 9." Rusty smiled at Sharon's rules, his own mother never would have been concerned for Rusty's whereabouts on a Sunday night, she was always too busy with her latest boyfriend. Sharon's offer was sounding better and better. "Thanks Sharon, I will."

Rusty rushed down the hall to get ready to hang out with his friend and Sharon sat back down at the table looking over the pictures from her latest crime scene. This recent murder had Sharon baffled and looking for clues, unsure on how to proceed and today's stress wasn't helping any. As Sharon finished her orange juice she had concluded that a few more hours of sleep would do her some good. She stopped by Rusty's door telling him she was going to take a nap since they had been out so late and retired to her room. Just a few hours and her mind could be at peace.

Sharon's mind was racing; all she could hear was her own screaming of Rusty's name as she was being restrained by one of her own officers as Rusty was being taken away social services. "Rusty, RUSTY!" No, this wasn't happening; they couldn't be taking him away from her. He was hers, he was her family, her son…they can't have him. "You can't do this! He needs me, please don't do this!"

"Captain, by definition…foster care is temporary; you shouldn't have gotten so attached. Your job demands too much of you and Rusty needs a better placement, you were shot at today, we can't have Rusty living in an unstable home, he needs stability." Cynthia's voice sounded in Sharon's head, yet the words went in one ear and out the other.

Sharon sobbed as she melted to the floor against a desk in the far wall. She couldn't speak or think, all she could hear were Rusty's cries for Sharon to help him, for her to save him, there was nothing she could do…he didn't belong to her.

As Sharon awoke the reality of her dream hit her instantly. It was true, Rusty wasn't hers to keep. Her job was unstable and Rusty could be taken from her at any minute without warning. Cynthia's words kept playing into Sharon's head foster care is temporary. As Sharon rubbed her eyes from the sleep feeling her body relax she heard her phone buzzing on the night stand. She started to realize it was her phone that woke her from her nightmare.

Sharon reached for the phone seeing the caller ID as Lieutenant Flynn and groaned at the possibility of a murder on a Sunday but it was the job and so Sharon pressed the phone to her ear trying to sound as pleasant as possible. "Afternoon Lieutenant, what can I do for you?"

Andy paused before speaking gathering his words carefully, "Sharon, there's been an accident…It's Rusty."