Gavin Baker glanced in the rearview mirror of his black BMW 7 Series for what felt like the hundredth time. His dear friend of more than 20 years sat in the back seat, eyes closed and arms crossed as they made their way downtown. He felt like such an idiot. When he brought her favorite wild rice and artichoke salad, along with croissants from her favorite bakery for lunch before escorting her downtown to once again deal with her piece of shit ex-husband, he just assumed it would be like old times. But the Sharon Raydor that greeted him out on her balcony where he was visiting with Ricky and Rusty was not his dear friend Sharon.

Gavin thought back to the last time he had actually laid eyes on her before today. New Year's Eve he guessed. His beautiful Captain and her handsome Lieutenant had stopped by his annual New Year's Eve party for a little while. They didn't stay until midnight, something about going to the beach he remembered. He didn't think he had ever seen her look more beautiful or happier than she did that night. They had talked and texted numerous times since then, but it never worked out for them to get together.

Andy called him the day Stroh escaped and promised him that she would be safe. It was Provenza who called him when Sharon was kidnapped by Dunn. He was in New York doing some work for an LA based client and by the time he got the quickest flight back in town, she was safe and home from the hospital. He had talked to her several times in the past week, but the sound of her voice did not relay the precarious state that she was in. The first thing he noticed, as she stepped out on the balcony holding on to Andy's arm, was her eyes. Those deep jade eyes, Gavin thought, have always been the one thing about her that sets her apart from other beautiful women, well besides her hair. Today, her eyes have almost no light, no sparkle even when she smiled and hugged him close; her smile never quite reached her eyes, he noticed. Sharon has always been small in stature, but more than made up for it in personality and confidence. Today, she seems tiny, almost frail. Her skinny black jeans hung loosely from her hips, the white button-up tucked into them seemed to swallow her. And why didn't he consider the fact that she wouldn't be wearing heels. He couldn't even remember that last time she wore flats when they were together.

As they all sat around her dining room table, he couldn't help but notice how very little she actually ate; maybe, just maybe a third of the croissant and two or three bites of salad. He found it endearing how Andy Flynn doted on her as they got ready to leave, yet also worrisome that she actually let him. Andy held on to her the entire way to the car and helped her get settled into the back seat. She refused to sit in the front with the excuse that Ricky needed the leg room. He watched as Andy held her hand, whispering something he couldn't hear before gently brushing his lips to hers. As Andy closed the car door, he looked to Gavin and Ricky, ordering them to take good care of her. And for a moment Gavin thought the handsome lieutenant even had tears in his eyes.

As they waited in the interview room for Jackson Raydor to be brought in, Gavin knew he had done the right thing asking Lieutenant Provenza to join them. When he met them in the hall, Sharon even seem to relax a little. When the guard escorted Jack into the room and to the chair across the table from Ricky, Gavin and Sharon; Provenza chose to stand to the side of the room for the time being.

Jackson wasted no time, "Well, well, well, I see you brought reinforcements. I can't believe she actually let you come, Richard," he nodded to his son.

"I didn't give her a choice."

"Oh, I see. Well, you and your sister have always taken her side anyway. You do know, Son, that she got pregnant with you only because she thought another kid would make me want to stay. Like coming home to one whiny brat wasn't enough."

"That's enough Jack, this isn't about Ricky and Emily." Sharon interrupted. Gavin looked over at her, surprised but pleased at strength in her voice.

"Oh, she finally speaks. I thought you would let your little gay BFF do all the talking," Jack sneers, gesturing at Gavin.

Ignoring Jack's dig against Gavin, Sharon continued, willing her voice to be strong. "Why Jack? I need to know why after all this time, after all these years you decided to come after me. Do you hate me that much?"

"Oh I don't hate you Sharon."

"No? Then how do you explain everything that has happen in the last few days? How do you explain…"

"I don't owe you an explanation," he interrupted. "I don't owe you a damn thing."

"Oh I think you do and we are not leaving here until I get some answers." She pointed her finger at him, "Do you want me to press charges Jack? Because if I do, you know what will happen…You know…"

"Just shut up Sharon. Jesus! I liked you better yesterday when you wouldn't say anything, sitting there on the floor holding your boyfriend's gun. You should have just shot me…put us all out of our misery."

Shocked at his response, Sharon stammered, "I couldn't…I wouldn't…no matter how much I dislike the way you act and the things you have done…You're the father to my children…I loved you once…"

"Sure you did…yeah…you loved me…but not like you love him."

"What are you talking about?" Confused, she glanced over to Provenza and then Gavin.

"I saw you…the way you look at him…you never…ever looked at me like that. Not even in the beginning. You didn't know I was there and I watched the two of you. Your eyes, I've never seen them that shade of green before…the curve of your lips when you smiled at him…never once did I see that kind of love and passion when you looked at me…that Bastard is no better than me…No different really. You do realize that you really did just trade one no good drunk for another?"

"Andy…this is about Andy?" she asked, incredulous.

"When I heard about Stroh escaping, I came by to make sure you and the kid were okay. And I saw you and Flynn in the parking garage…the longer I watched the more enraged I felt…Damn-it Sharon…why him...of all people, why Andy Flynn?

Sharon looked down and closed her eyes for a moment, the gravity of his words sinking in. She looked over at Ricky and then at Provenza. Slowly she scooted her chair back and stood. "Gavin, I'll let you handle this from here. I think you know my wishes."

"Oh no," Jack tried to stand, but Provenza was beside him in a moment's time. "Don't you dare walk out on me, you fucking bitch."

She stopped at the interview room door and spun to look at him, "You walked out on me too many times to count, Jack! I'm just repaying the favor. And as far as Andy is concerned..." her jade eyes blazing, "He's nothing like you. He learned from his mistakes and he knows how to put others first in his life. A concept that you never seemed to grasp. Goodbye, Jack."

"Sharon, I'm not finished! He'll get tired of you, just like I did. Mark my words! Sharon! You come back here. Sharon…come back here, I'm not done with you!"

Sharon walked out of the interview room, ignoring Jack's protest, slowly making her way down the hall and out into lobby. She leaned against the wall trying to calm herself and slow her breathing. She didn't realize someone had approached her until she heard the somewhat familiar voice. "Sharon, are you okay? Let's find you a place to sit down."

She opened her eyes and found Patrice standing beside her. "Patrice, what are you doing here?"

"Louie thought you might need my help. Come on, I think you need to sit down. You're not going to pass out on me are you?"

"No. I'm okay, just a little dizzy. Let's go outside. I need some air."

SASASASASASASA

Sharon and Patrice sat on the concrete bench on the side of the building in companionable silence. Patrice tried to get Sharon to talk about what just happen, but she just shook her head no. As they sat there, Patrice could tell Sharon was becoming more and more anxious. Her breathing had become more shallow and beads of perspiration were beginning to form on her forehead. Sharon stood suddenly, yanking off the blazer she was wearing, dropping it to the ground and untucking her shirt from her loose fitting jeans in the process.

Patrice was beside her in a second, "Sharon, you need to sit down," guiding her back to the bench. "You're having a panic attack. I need you to breathe for me…focus on breathing. You're going to pass out if you don't."

Sharon let Patrice guide her back on the bench, leaning forward she could feel the sweat sliding down her neck and back. She knew she needed to breathe, rationally in the back of her mind she knew that, but she couldn't seem to get her brain to tell her lungs to work. She could hear Patrice talking to her, the older woman's voice soft and encouraging. She felt Patrice gather up her hair and secure it off her neck where the cold sweat was still sliding down to her back and chest. Her vision was becoming blurry and she felt like she might throw up.

"Oh god," she murmured.

Patrice placed a firm hand on Sharon's back, the white button up, now sticking to her sweaty back. "Damn-it Sharon, breathe. I know you can do this. Just concentrate on breathing."

Finally Sharon drew in one deep breath and then another. "That's it Sharon. You're doing good. Keep breathing."

After a few minutes of practiced breathing, Sharon sat up straighter and looked at Patrice. "Thank you. I'm so sorry."

Before Patrice could reply, Gavin and Ricky were both suddenly kneeling in front of Sharon. Provenza was a few steps behind them. Patrice stood and moved back to give them more room. "She had a panic attack, but she's okay now. Just a little out of focus."

Gavin reached into his pocket and handed the keys to Ricky. "Go get the car so we can get her home." Ricky placed his hand on his mother's knee and she nodded her encouragement to let him know that she was indeed okay.

Gavin continued to kneel beside Sharon, taking her hand in his, "Honey, it's all over. Jack will never hurt you again. He agreed to everything, really without even much fuss. He knows he's done in this town. He's made too many enemies. So he will be back in Vegas or wherever by the end of the week."

Looking up, "I still can't believe this all boiled down to jealousy. Jack's always been too self absorbed to be jealous." she question to Gavin and Provenza. "Why did he, all the sudden care who I am with? He never wanted me. And am I to assume that Captain Williams was a friend of his? He went to all the trouble to get his friend a job at the LAPD because he's jealous? This just doesn't make sense."

"Captain…uh, Sharon…I'm not sure jealous is the correct word. Jack didn't want you, but he didn't want Andy to have you either," he shrugged. "He talked one of the partners in his law firm, who's tight with the Mayor, into getting Captain Williams the job, with the intent on making Andy's life hell and hopefully make him look bad in your eyes. Then, everything that happened with Dunn caused the Captain to go off on his own tangent against you. That part wasn't in Jack's plan. But after Williams told Jack the details of your interview, he just became even more pissed off and not just at Andy."

"I hate Ricky witnessed this whole mess, I shouldn't have let him come."

"Believe me Sharon when I say that Ricky is his mother's son. You would be really proud of the way he handled his father."

"Gavin's right, Sharon. Ricky did just fine. And Jack needed to hear what he had to say."

Sharon stood and hugged Patrice and then placed a hand on Provenza's arm, just as Ricky pulled up with the car. "Call Andy and let him know that I'm fine and on my way home. I know he's been waiting for your call," she whispered with a wink as she stepped away from Provenza and let Gavin help her into the back seat.

Gavin sat in the back with Sharon as Ricky drove them home. "Are you okay?" he asked, his face deep with concern.

"I am. Just a little tired, but I'm fine," taking his hand in hers. "Thank you for everything. I just never expected anything like this to happen. I have always believed that Jack is a good person...that his addiction was the cause of his flaws...Now I feel like I never really knew him. But," she said smiling weakly, "I don't want to think about Jack any more. I just want to focus on everything good in my life from day going forward." She looked up and found Ricky smiling at her in the rear view mirror and she knew then that everything would be okay, more than okay she thought.