WARNING: BAD LANGUAGE AND VIOLENCE AHEAD

Sharon was enjoying the peace and quiet that surrounded her in the shower. As much as she truly loved having her children and Andy around, Sharon had always been that kind of person that needed time to herself occasionally, and especially with everything that happened she could use some alone time to wrap her head around things. While washing her hair, she thought about the last couple of days. There were more than dozens of people that she had displeased in the course of her work, many, many men and women she had met and forgotten. Sharon was unable to point anyone out that had been behaving suspiciously towards her – it was part of her job to work with suspicious people every day. But what bothered her the most was that she didn't realize that someone had obviously been following her. Someone had taken pictures of her, even in the hospital when there was security around. Who was that person? Still caught in her thoughts Sharon got out of the shower with wobbly legs. She dried herself of as good as possible and with avoiding pressure on the black and blue bruises on her body. Sharon than smeared a little steam away from the mirror, just enough so that she could see the entire extent of her injuries. Pictures came into her mind, feet kicking her, hands beating into her flesh. With shaking hands, Sharon put on one of Andy's shirts and a pair of her famous yoga pants. She starting combing her hair when she heard something again, this time for sure.

"Andy, I'm in the bathroom", Sharon said loudly. It could only be him, since the kids were still on their way. When nobody answered, Sharon finished combing her hair and then slowly got out of the bathroom. Just taking a shower took so much of her energy that she was ready to lay down again. She wondered about the fact that the lights were out in the little hallway, she was pretty sure that she hadn't turned them off.
"Andy?"
"I told you, don't let that filth back in here again. I told you Sharon, I told you", a monotone voice came from the living room. Sharon immediately stiffened. Andy wasn't here. Rusty wasn't. But the man that had attacked her a couple of nights ago, was here. In her home. Sharon's brain turned into work mode. Gun – she needed her gun. Her gun from the LAPD was in her safe, there was no way she would be able to get that. But she had another one in her nightstand. Andy had put it there the day she came home from the hospital.
"Don't you hear me?" the man raised his voice, frustrated that Sharon hadn't answered him.
"Yes, yes, I hear you", Sharon answered, still not moving but trying to please the invader.
"Why did you let him in again, why?" the manly voice whimpered. Sharon's eyes were starting to get used to the darkness and she made a careful and silent step towards the living room so that she could see her enemy. She saw him sitting on her couch. Roses were covering the coffee table. Sharon was desperately trying to find the right words but her head was empty so the man said: "Didn't I tell you to stay away from him? Didn't I make it clear that it's us, you and me, that need to be together?"
"Yes, you made that clear", Sharon murmured, scanning the room for something she could use to knock the man down.
"Then why didn't you listen? I thought I knocked some senses back into you but apparently not enough", the man hissed.
"You mean Tuesday night?" Sharon asked, meaning the night of her attack.
"Yes. That is exactly what I mean. I didn't like having to treat you like that, Sharon, but you are not leaving me any chance. And I hoped, I really hoped that you would finally learn your lesson", the stranger kept rambling frantically.
"I didn't mean to anger you."
"Maybe. But you did. I am so, so angry", he hissed, "and I am afraid that there is nothing anyone can do about it anymore."

The man stood up and slowly walked towards Sharon. She felt threatened and unprotected. She made a step back but there was already the wall of the hallway behind her.
"I don't want to do this Sharon, I really don't. But you leave me no choice", the intruder said while taking a gun out of his pocket.
"Who are you?" Sharon aspirated. She knew that she needed him to talk, it was her only chance.
"Who I am? You really don't know?"
"What's your name?"
"Alexander O'Riley – how dare you even ask? I'm your soulmate, that's who I am. Don't you see it, don't you finally see it?"
Alexander O'Riley. Of course, Sharon thought and finally memories came back to her, memories from many, many years ago. She moved to the side a little, towards her bedroom. With every step that she took back, Alexander made one towards her.
"Yes, I see it now", Sharon murmured.
"All that hours we've spent together, all that time I dedicated to you – I wouldn't have done that if I were just your friend, Sharon, would I?" Alexander bellowed, suddenly losing his temper. He came so close that Sharon smelled his breath. It was a smell she remembered all too well from Jack. He had been drinking.
"No, of course you wouldn't have", Sharon answered his question and backed off a little. Alexander reacted by directing a punch at Sharon's face. She had been expecting that though and could evade in time, ignoring the pain. Alexander's fist landed in the picture that hung on the wall behind Sharon, the glass shattered to the ground. Sharon used the distraction and tried to hurry to her bedroom where she knew the gun was waiting for her. But she couldn't get away fast enough. Alexander caught up, grabbed her by her hair, forced her around, struck her cheek with the gun in his hand while still holding her hair and kept holding it so that they stood face to face. Sharon cursed the malfunction of her body as blackness disturbed her vision. Her head was throbbing by the ruthless impact.
"How dare you walk away from me when I am talking to you", Alexander hissed, "I have spent hours listening to your whining about your failure husband. Now you listen to me!"
Sharon winced in pain but said: "All right. Let me go and I'll listen."
With a jerk Alexander let her go and Sharon held on to the doorframe of her bedroom door because she still couldn't see clearly. Alexander looked at Sharon with disgust.
"You know Sharon, after everything with Jack, I could faintly understand why you weren't ready to face the truth of our destiny. That you needed time. And now, after all those years, I finally come back and what do I see? You involved with that son of a bitch! How could you betray me like that, how could you?!"
"Alex, I'm sorry for hurting you, that wasn't my intention. But so much time had passed, I didn't think you would ever come back", Sharon lied in an attempt to calm him.
"Oh come on, you know that's now true you little whore. You just couldn't wait to throw your arm around the next possible man!" Alexander screamed and stormed towards Sharon, thrusting her to the ground before he kicked her in her already aching ribs. She saw black again, unable to breath. Just when she thought Alexander was done, he kicked her one more time in the spine so hard that she felt like her back was broken.

Alexander started shaking, looked at Sharon nervously and then started walking up and down her bedroom. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to kick you. But you aren't allowed to lie to me, do you hear me? That's what you get for lying."
Sharon stayed lying on the floor, even though the adrenaline starting to kick in again and she felt like she would be able to move again. She was close enough to the nightstand with the gun so she waited for the right moment to get it before Alexander could do anything about it. First, she wanted to get him talking again.
"Alex, how did you get that photo of Andy and I in the hospital?" Sharon asked, seriously interested.
Alexander stopped pacing for a moment and just stared at Sharon.
"Oh my god. You don't get it, do you?! I'm a cop, remember?"
"Of course I remember", Sharon calmed him, "but there were other officers in front of my room 24/7. How did you take a picture unnoticed?"
"Well, Sharon, let me explain", Alexander sighted excessively, "you do realize that I have been assigned as a member of your kids security team, do you?"
Sharon's heart stopped for a moment and she thought she was about to throw up. With every willpower she had, she took a deep breath in, ignored the pain and said: "So you were always around anyhow."
"Well, I am around since four months now. I was working in Boston for a while but there was a spot open here so I applied and they transferred me. Lucky us, huh? I was so happy to be near you again. But you only had eyes for that Andy and what is it about that Rusty boy? If you wanted more children, you could have just said something, we could have made it work", Alexander seemed to be totally caught up in his own reality. Sharon knew how dangerous that was. She needed to act fast.
"Thank you for making sure my kids are safe, Alexander. But can you explain to me one more time how you got the picture? And how did you get in here?"
"How I got the picture? I sent Nick and Larry away to take a five minute break, Sharon. I'm their boss, they could hardly so no to me."
Sharon started to get the picture. Alexander worked for the security division now, that's how he was able to stay so close to her all this time. And that's why he always knew how to avoid security cameras etc.
"And the GHB?" Sharon asked.
"That was easy. You really need to be more careful, Shar. You can't just leave your car unlocked somewhere, even if you are in a hurry. Someone could do something harmful to you. Luckily this time, it was only me", Alexander rambled deliriously. But it was enough information for Sharon to understand, that he had put the GHB in her coffee mug while they had been arresting their suspect, just as they had thought.

Alexander continued to walk up and down the room in front of Sharon, as if he was thinking about what to do next. And Sharon knew, that she would have to determine her own fate in the next minutes because she felt like her body was shutting down and she couldn't afford to lose her consciousness while still being in the hands of a psychopath. So finally, when Alexander was almost at the other side of the room, still walking up and down, Sharon raised as far as possible, tore the drawer of her nightstand open and got the gun out, just before Alexander could reach her.
"Don't move", Sharon hissed and Alexander froze.
"You know you aren't going to shoot me", Alexander finally said, "do you really think I don't know how much you hate using a weapon?", he laughed.
"Many years have passed, Alexander, time changes people."
"Maybe. But it didn't change you", Alexander murmured while starting to point his gun on Sharon. Now only their weapons and a little air stood between them.
"You are still as self-centered, egoistic and narrow-minded as ever. You are only interested in your own benefit, aren't you?!"
"If you know me so well then you know that that isn't the truth", Sharon hissed.
"STOP LYING TO ME", Alexander yelled, coming closer, "after all you put me through I finally learned that there is only one way for us to finally be together", he now whispered again. Sharon understood what he meant.
"You don't need to do this", Sharon tried to talk him out of his plans.
"You know I do. You will never understand that we are meant to be together", Alexander said.

First of all: Thank you again for your continuing support on the last chapter, it motivates me so much to update, so thanks!
I hope this chapter answers many of your questions and that you liked it.