Andy sat quietly dozing beside her bed. His fingers gently resting on her forearm, Provenza was right. It almost killed him when he saw her. Her face was bruised and swollen in places. Her beautiful hair matted with dried blood. Poor Rusty couldn't take it. He came in only for a few minutes and then he got so upset Louie had to take him home. Each of the other team members have come by but Andy made sure none of them stayed. He sent them all home. They were all just as exhausted as he was. A couple of hours passed as he dozed on and off while she remained unresponsive. Finally around 11:30pm he thought he felt her move. He sat closer to the bed and laced his fingers thru her good hand. "Sharon, I'm here. You're safe. Open your eyes, sweetheart."

Her eyes fluttered open and then closed and then opened again searching for him. "Andy" she whispered.

"I'm right here. You're okay."

Her tears began to flow and her breathing became shallow sobs. "Sharon, you need to calm down. It's not good for you to get this upset."

"Andy, I… Andy" she choked. "I am so… so…sorry…I…"gasping between her words.

He carefully climbed on to the side of her bed and held her, hoping her panic would begin to subside. "Sshh, sweetheart, it's okay. Please, please calm down."

"Rusty?" she asked her voice filled with fear and panic.

"He's with Provenza. Don't worry all the kids are fine. I've talked with Ricky and Emily several times too. I…" his voice cracking with emotion, "I am just so glad you are here. I…I was so…scared that I had lost you."

She looked at him, her eyes jade with exhaustion and love, "I know…me too."

Andy pushed the button to notify the nurse's station that she was wake. The nurse and doctor from earlier came in and proceeded to do a full exam. They were both pleased with her responses and the recovery she was making so far.

The next few hours Sharon was restless, she refused the morphine pump and each time she dozed off she would startle awake a few minutes later. Andy sat by helplessly and watched her struggle. "Andy, will you get in bed and hold me?" Sharon whispered to him.

"I'm scared I will hurt you," he said looking away with tears in his eyes.

"Please Andy… I need you. I promise you can't hurt me." Andy slowly adjusted the cover and eased onto the bed beside her. Sharon held her breath and moved onto her side to make room for him, the wound in her abdomen pulling with each tiny movement. Finally after a few minutes she was settled into him. Her injured wrist resting on his stomach, they both fell into a much needed sleep.

Hours later, Andy opened his eyes to find Sharon still asleep and Provenza sitting across from them working his crossword puzzle. Not wanting to wake her, Andy tried to whisper to his partner. "What time is it?"

"A little after 6:00, according to the nurse, you two have been out for a while," Provenza smiled.

Andy felt Sharon beginning to stir in his arms. She tried to roll to her right and gasped loudly in pain causing Andy to jump from the bed. She grabbed his arm with her good hand to calm him. "I'm ok, it will only hurt for a minute" she whispered, trying to hide the pain she was still feeling from him.

Provenza stepped out in the hall for a few minutes while Andy helped Sharon to the bathroom and then got her situated back in bed. When he returned he could tell the effort took a lot out of her. She was very pale and sweat was forming on her forehead. Andy tried to convince her to use the morphine pump but once again she refused.

It was her turn now to try and convince Andy to go home for a while. She also knew that he desperately needed a meeting. She looked to Provenza for help and eventually Andy agreed once Louie said he would stay with Sharon until Rusty got there. Andy knew leaving for a little while was the right thing to do, but he hated it all the same. On his way out, he gently kissed her, careful not to hurt her bruised mouth.

Sharon slept fitfully for about 45 minutes after Andy left. Provenza couldn't decide if her restlessness was due to pain or anxiety. Hoping to calm her, he went downstairs and got her a hot tea. She was sitting up more in the bed when he returned. Sitting down next to her he asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

She stared at him for a moment, "No, not really. But I do want to say thank you."

"For what?"

"Lieutenant, I know what you did to keep Andy and the others out of… out of that place. I could hear a little of what was going on around me. Just bits and pieces really, but I know. And I will never be able to express how much that means to me," she replied with tear filled eyes.

"It was the right thing to do and you would have done the same for any one of us."

After a few moments of trying to control her tears she continued, "I'm worried…Worried about Rusty and Andy. I know them. I know them both so well and they will try to blame themselves for what happen to me. Rusty will think that it is his fault because of who… who… did this. And Andy will blame himself for letting me shut him out and not telling him about the threats in the first place. You were right. I should have told.."

"What? He said chuckling, trying to lighten the mood; can I get that in writing Captain?"

And for just a moment she smiled, truly smiled, "I just… I'm not use to someone wanting to take care of me and worrying about me. I've never really had that. It scares me a little, but in a good way I guess. It hurts me to think I've caused them both such pain and…"

"Now wait a minute Sharon, you haven't done anything here in this situation. You were a victim; you didn't cause any of this."

"But, I could have…"

"Listen!" he said cutting her off. "You know as well as I do, that you can't go back and play what ifs. You just have to figure out how to live with what is and move forward. You have 3 wonderful children, an idiot who loves you and a team what would do anything for you. You have survived a horrific ordeal and now you need to focus on yourself and getting better. And let Andy take care of you. He wouldn't want it any other way. Believe me I know."

"I know, I just feel so, I don't know…" shaking her head.

"Sharon, you are exhausted and hurt. You were unconscious for several hours, it is normal to feel scared and even confused?"

"I just don't…" she tried to answer, but then the tears started. He patted her hand lightly as she looked away from him, trying to calm herself. "Look, I know Andy asked you to stay with me until Rusty gets here, but I… I… I just really need some time to myself. I need to sort out a lot of things," she said with pleading eyes.

"No worries, Captain. I understand, but promise me you won't try and get up without help. Andy would kill me if something were to happen."

"I promise," she interrupted. "And Louie," she quietly said, "Thank you again."

"Any time Sharon, anytime," he replied, squeezing her hand before he left.