A/N: This chapter includes an explicit description of a person dying from cancer. It was hard for me to write personally, as it made me remember my cousin's last moments. I tried to capture that moment in writing, but I can honestly say that I toned it down a lot. Words can't truly describe a moment like that or the everlasting effects it has on a person.

I wanted to dedicate this chapter to her memory, but I decided to pass because I'd much rather remember her life than her death. But she will forever be in my heart.

Sharon's gaze went between the sleeping Lacey and the gray-haired man who has fallen asleep by the young woman's side, holding her hand. It's been quite a while since she has had the chance to watch him sleep. Her eyes scanned his face, registering the wrinkles she didn't notice were there, the subtle flutter of his closed eyelids, the steady and wheezy sound of his shallow breaths. She noticed his fingers clung to Lacey's as if his life depended on it. Watching him sleep gave her a peculiar feeling; it was as if she was watching a film about a character she didn't know rather than looking at a real person. She assumed breaking up would do that to two people. Nowadays she was used to watching another man in his sleep, and the emotions it brought up in her were completely different. Placing her hand on his shoulder, she gently shook him awake.

"Jack," she uttered his name softly. He had spent the night beside Lacey's hospital bed, as he did at least twice in the past week and a half. "Wake up." Jack's eyes fluttered open, and he seemed to take a moment to focus his gaze.

"What time is it?" he asked and raised his head from the bed.

"It's almost 7 am," Sharon replied and handed him the cup of coffee she bought for herself on the way in. Jack needed it more than she did and gladly took it from her.

"How is she doing?" Sharon asked. Over the last week and a half, the doctors fought against all the odds to help Lacey's fight off her pneumonia, but it was a losing battle. Lacey has expressed her wishes to die at home, but it was becoming painfully clear that leaving the hospital to die a more dignified death wasn't even an option for her.

"Her fever isn't going down anymore," Jack updated her. "The nurse increased her oxygen flow during the night," Jack said. "Have you checked on Maia?"

"Yes. The nurses think she gained some weight this week," Sharon updated him. Jack has only seen Maia twice. It was hard for him to see the baby in this condition. Sharon, Andy, and Julio, however, took shifts in the NICU and tried to spend as much time as they could with Maia since her birth. She was still too small and fragile to be held, but the nurses let them touch and stroke Maia.

"That's good," Jack said. He threw a glance at Lacey again. "I don't think she would have survived this long without you," he said as he turned back to Sharon. "I know that I'm a jerk most of the time, especially to you," he sighed. "But I am very grateful for what you're doing for her."

"Thank you, Jack," Sharon smiled. Lacey's presence in their lives has helped them work some of their differences, even though they knew they'd never love each other again. Both of them have moved on with their lives and Sharon was perfectly fine with the status quo in their relationship. She hoped that Jack would be able to maintain that relationship the next time that they would meet each other in a professional capacity, but she was aware of the fact it was wishful thinking more than anything else. Jack threw a glance at his watch.

"I have to go get ready for work, but I'll call you later to check on her," he said. "Let me know if there's any change." They both knew that the only possible change was Lacey passing away. Neither of them could bring themselves to say the words.

"I will," Sharon promised. Jack thanked her for the coffee and left. Sharon sat down in the chair Jack slept in and took Lacey's hand. Her fingers were cold and had a blue tint. The first time she noticed it, a couple of days earlier, she tried to rub Lacey's hands to warm them up. The nurse later explained to her that the skin discoloration was due to the lack of oxygen. They could make Lacey's breathing easier with an endotracheal tube, but the young woman refused it. Sharon let out an involuntary sigh. She was exhausted. She and Andy were taking shifts staying in the hospital with Lacey and spending time with Maia when Julio couldn't be in the NICU. The three of them were using their paid vacation days to be at the hospital. They only went home for quick showers. Jack spending the night in the hospital with Lacey gave her and Andy the opportunity to sleep in their bed, rather than a hospital chair, and Sharon also had the chance to talk to Provenza and catch up on what the Major Crimes Division has been doing. Provenza has informed her that they received backup from Vice and SOB whenever it was needed, and he had everything under control.

"You've got your work cut out for you, Captain. Do what you have to do. We're fine here," he assured her. She knew he was right, and she trusted his leadership skills and knew he would do the best possible job in her absence. Turning to look at Lacey, she felt tears stinging in her eyes. A few days earlier, one of the nurses described to Andy and Sharon how Lacey's last days would look like. She said Lacey was going to be very tired and feverish and she will drift in and out of consciousness until she will finally slip away. The nurse said that Lacey was getting strong pain meds that made her very drowsy. The only discomfort she felt was difficulty breathing, which was partially relieved by the oxygen she was receiving. The only thing left to do was wait. Sharon found comfort in the fact that Lacey won't be suffering for much longer. However, the part she found most difficult about the situation was the wait. The only significant loss she has ever experienced was when her parents passed away a couple of years earlier. Besides her children, her parents were the only family she had, and losing both of them only a month apart was very difficult for her. She didn't get to see them often and the guilt she felt about not being with them when they passed away still gnawed at her. At the time, she thought their unexpected deaths were the most horrible experience in the world. Sitting in the hospital, holding Lacey's hand and watching death taking Lacey away bit by bit was much worse.

"Sharon?" she heard the girl's weak voice.

"Hey, sweetie," Sharon smiled at her. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Lacey replied. "But happy, because you're here. How long have I been asleep?"

"The last time you woke up was yesterday at noon. You were awake for less than a minute," Sharon informed her. The expression on Lacey's face gave Sharon the impression that she had an important thing to say, but when she closed her eyes for a long moment, Sharon thought she fell back to sleep.

"Is Andy here?" Lacey asked.

"He's visiting Maia," Sharon replied.

"I don't think I'll have many moments of clarity from now on. Can you get him here?" Lacey requested. Sharon nodded and texted Andy.

"He will be here in a few minutes," she assured Lacey when Andy texted back. She could see that Lacey was fighting the urge to drift back to sleep. Luckily, it didn't take Andy a long time to arrive, since the NICU and oncology wards were located only one floor apart.

"How's Maia doing?" Lacey asked him.

"She's getting stronger," Andy said.

"Good," Lacey said and closed her eyes for a moment. "I think today might be the day," she said after a while. "They say you can feel it in advance." Sharon felt Andy's hand landing on her shoulder and covered his fingers with hers. "I didn't think I would be scared, but I am." Sharon wasn't sure what she could say to the girl that would relieve her fear. "The two of you have been so kind to me, taking me into your family and caring for me. And I love you so much, but I don't want to leave you." Tears sprung in Sharon's eyes.

"We love you too, Lacey. And we don't want you to leave either," Andy's voice was low.

"I could really use one last hug," Lacey said. Sharon leaned forward to wrap her arms around Lacey, but the younger woman stopped her. "I mean a really big hug. Do you think both of you would fit into the bed?"

"We'll try," Andy said and walked to one side of the bed, while Sharon got up and slid into the other side. They wrapped their hands around Lacey's slender body from either side. Even though the bed seemed small, they both were able to fit into it quite comfortably.

"Will you stay with me for a while?" Lacey asked, and Sharon promised her they would. Lacey thanked them and closed her eyes, falling asleep again. The silence that spread around the room was deafening. The only thing that tore through it was Lacey's loud wheezes. Her head rested against Sharon's shoulder, and she felt the heavy puffs of air against her throat.

"You can go now, Lacey," the words went through Sharon's mind, and it took her a moment to realize that she said them out loud. Her eyes filled with tears and she tightened her arm around Lacey. She felt Andy's hand reaching her own over Lacey's body. They stayed that way for nearly two hours, watching Lacey's chest rise and fall with every tormenting breath. To Sharon, it felt like a waking dream; time stopped around her as she looked at the younger woman, each and every detail about her face was clear and sharp as glass but incomprehensible. She passed her fingers through Lacey's sweaty hair and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. She was in a trans-like state even when Lacey's wheezing became louder and louder. A nurse rushed into the room to assist Lacey, but Andy stopped her, telling her that Lacey has signed a DNR order. After the nurse had confirmed the information in Lacey's chart, she left the room. It was then when the fog cleared from Sharon's mind, and she became painfully aware of the situation again. Her heart raced in her chest as she watched Lacey's struggle to breathe becoming harder and harder until the wheezing abruptly stopped and the heavy silence fell around the room. Lacey now laid motionless between Sharon and Andy, a serene expression on her face at last.

-To Be Continued -

There will be 4 more chapters for this story, and while I'm working on that, I would love to hear your thoughts about this chapter, so feel free to leave a review or send me a PM.