Thank you all for the comments. They are much appreciated. I agree that this story is intriguing since I have no idea where it's going. Hopefully it will do justice.

Luckily I started this chapter a last night as today I wasn't in the right frame of mind to make an coherent sentences. I had to put my dog down today and it broke my heart into a million pieces. So if you see any mistakes you can blame it on that.

Sharon Raydor was at her desk when Will Pope called her downstairs. Having already kicked off her expensive black pumps under her desk, she sighed at the thought of putting them back on her aching feet. But when the Chief of Police calls you go.

She knocked on his door before walking in.

"Chief Pope?" She poked her head around the door.

"Sharon, sit down."

Uh oh. It wasn't good news when he called her Sharon. She sat down in front of his desk and crossed her legs. He didn't look at her exposed knee like he normally did. She was starting to get worried. Her hands fidgeted unnecessarily without something in them. She wished she had one of her pens in her hand.

Will sat back in his chair before addressing her.

"Sharon, Chief Johnson turned in her resignation today." He waited for her response.

Sharon sat there stunned. But she didn't flinch. She was trained not to. But her insides were knotted up in an instant. The Captain uncrossed and recrossed her legs.

"So…" She was speechless.

"Effective immediately." He answered her unasked question.

Sharon went back to her office after leaving Major Crimes Division. Her shoulders slumped a little more than before and her chin not held so high. Closing her door and blinds behind her she fell into her leather chair and rested her elbows on the desk. Feeling like she had been holding her breath ever since Will told her about Brenda, she exhaled. Pulling her glasses off and tossing them haphazardly onto her desk, she rested her head in her hands for a long time.

It surprised her when she felt a hot liquid run down her arms. She realized she was crying. Sharon ferociously wiped the tears away embarrassed by her sudden emotional breakdown.

Who knew a little thing like Brenda Leigh Johnson could tear down her emotional walls.

Digging her cell phone out of her desk drawer she put her glasses back on.

It took her a few times before she managed to get the courage to send the first message. She'd never been nervous around Brenda before so why now? It was unnerving her that she didn't feel in control at that moment.

I didn't get to say goodbye. Hitting send she sighed and stared at the phone. And waited. Unconsciously picking up her pen, she started clicking it open and closed…open and closed.

I'm sorry. I had to do it that way or I may not have done it at all.

Just like Brenda Leigh. She jumped before thinking. She could have talked to her about it but she didn't. Maybe they weren't as friendly as Sharon thought. Her heart dropped a little with that thought.

Sharon couldn't not ask. Why did you?

You know why. I'm sorry, Sharon.

She didn't expect to get an explanation.

Then it hit her.

Brenda had never been the same after the Stroh ordeal. That had tested every ounce of strength and courage that Brenda had and still she almost faulted. Sharon tried to be there as a support but of course Brenda put up her walls.

She remembered walking into Brenda's office a few months ago. It was uncommon for Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson to be shut up in her office with the blinds pulled all day. Brenda was sitting at her desk staring out into the cloudy Los Angeles horizon.

Sharon stood in the door for several seconds before she closed the door alerting Brenda to her presence.

"Chief?"

Brenda lifted her chin. "Yes, Captain. What can I help you with?"

Sharon didn't answer. She watched Brenda trying to cover the fact that something was on her mind. A big something. She'd worked with Brenda Leigh Johnson long enough to know exactly when something was bothering the blonde. Slowly walking to take a seat in the chair in front of the chief's desk, she didn't take her eyes from Brenda's.

"Brenda Leigh, don't try to fool a fool." She still hadn't stopped looking directly into her eyes.

Brenda regarded her with a smirk. There wasn't much you could get passed Sharon Raydor..

With a sigh, "I can't seem to be subjective anymore and it's putting my team in danger."

Sharon had watched Brenda in action for six years. She'd watched her go through being shot at countless times, a divorce, the death of her beloved father and mother a year ago, and a nasty lawsuit that nearly broke her. Sharon felt sorry for Brenda. After all, it would be hard for either of them to relinquish control.

"Do you need to take time off?" Sharon asked quietly.

Brenda looked at her like her head had spun around. "No, captain! I do not need to take time off…I'll figure this out." She gave a wave of her hand like it was no big deal. But Sharon knew it was a big deal.

Sharon wasn't the kind of person who was too keen on showing her emotions but right then she wanted to give Brenda a hug. The very thought of that shocked her to her core. When had she gone from wanting to strangle Brenda Leigh Johnson to wanting to hug her?

With finger poised on the screen of her smart phone, Sharon typed a response then erased it. She did this 4 times before she gave up and left it at that.