DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters, except for Matthew and Moxie. The rest of them belong to James Duff and the Major Crimes franchise.

A/N: Thank you everyone and guest reviewers for the wonderful reviews that you have left on this story. I really appreciate them!

Chapter 20

Sharon sat on the couch, watching another movie with her daughter. They had just eaten lunch that Emily had prepared, following the diet that the doctor had given Sharon. Sharon glanced at her phone that was on the coffee table and picked it up. "Mom, are you calling someone?" Emily quickly asked her.

She glanced at her daughter and gave her a look. "No, I just wanted to see if maybe I missed a call or something like that," Sharon sadly looked back at her phone. No new messages or missed calls. She sighed as she placed the phone back down and focused back on the new movie they were watching.

Just then, her phone alerted her to a text message. Sharon practically jumped as she reached again for her phone. She saw the message was from Andy and she clicked on it. 'Hey, just wanted to check in on you and see how you were doing XO' she read and a smile returned to her face. "I'm just going to reply to Andy, nothing to be alarmed about," she warned Emily before she could protest as she sat there.

'I'm okay. Emily and I are watching a movie and we just had lunch. How are you doing?' she replied back to him and sent the message, waiting for it to say 'delivered' underneath it. 'Good to hear. Just basic paperwork day here, saw your favorite FID man and qualified this morning. Going to pick up Matthew and we'll be home at our normal time' he replied back and as Sharon read his message she realized he never said how he was doing.

She sighed as she placed her phone back on the coffee table. "What's wrong Mom?" Emily asked as she moved closer to her on the couch. "I'm just worried about Andy," she waved her daughter off and wanted to get back into watching the movie. "You two were definitely made for each other," Emily huffed as she sat back against the couch.

Sharon chose to ignore that last comment from her daughter and instead, rubbed her forehead with her right fingers. Sharon decided that she needed her pain medication but instead of asking Emily to get it for her, she stood up from the couch and wavered slightly. Emily was right by her side and placed her arms on her to steady herself.

"Mom," she whispered as she looked at her. Sharon's eyes were closed and she slowly opened them. "I'm fine, really. I was just going to get my pain medication from the kitchen," she said. "Sit down, and I'll go get it for you," Emily told her as she helped her sit back down on the couch. Sharon sat there, and grimaced as the pain turned into a dull ache. Emily quickly hurried into the kitchen and grabbed her mother's pain medication, bringing that back with a glass of water and offered it to her.

Sharon took the medication and the glass of water. "Thank you," she muttered and took one of the pills and drank the water afterwards. "Is that the first time you felt dizzy today?" Emily asked concerned about her. "No," she whispered and shook her head slightly. "Since you've been home this morning?" Emily pried further. "I felt dizzy when I was in the shower this morning but Andy was right there to catch me," Sharon stated.

"Mom," Emily pleaded but Sharon stopped her. "Don't tell me I'm doing too much, because I'm not doing anything. I'm resting and relaxing here, trying to keep my mind off of work and everything that's involved with that, while being a mother to four wonderful kids, trying to figure out what's troubling Matthew, and helping my husband overcome his fears that he's been living with ever since I was shot," Sharon rambled and Emily sat there and listened to her.

Emily was shocked by what her mom blurted out. "Is there anything you need me to do to make things easier for you, or for Andy?" she asked. Sharon looked at her and smiled. "I'm sorry sweetie, you are helping us, really, by staying here and keeping an eye on me, well I know that eases Andy's mind. We're working on the rest of it," Sharon assured her.

"What exactly did Matthew do that got him grounded by you and Andy?" Emily asked. "He didn't tell you?" Sharon thought she knew already but Emily shook her head no. "He forged Andy's signature on a math test that he failed, and he didn't want us to know about it, but he had been acting so out of sorts for the past week and a half, maybe, that Andy and I knew something was going on," Sharon explained to her.

"I guess he told Ricky about it when Ricky picked him up Saturday from the baseball camp. He finally told us that night after we had confronted him," Sharon said. "Oh come on now, Mom, I think you know how to handle a 10 year old acting up like that, I mean you raised Ricky, he acted up all the time," Emily smiled and Sharon chuckled.

"Matthew is different because of his background. When we found him, he was super shy and had witnessed his mom being murdered. We had him see Doctor Joe for a little while and he seemed to be doing okay. His teacher mentioned it again this morning that maybe he needed someone to talk to that wasn't his parents or related to him," Sharon mentioned. "But that's something I need to discus with Andy, not you," she added and Emily understood.

"What about Andy? Are you worried that he wants a drink, after you were shot?" Emily asked her quietly and Sharon thought for a moment before answering. "No, I don't believe he wants a drink, or that he would ever drink. He has a support system that works for him and he knows, unlike your father, what's at stake if he ever did take another sip," Sharon told her and she knew Emily wouldn't repeat it to anyone else.

"He's been having nightmares and trouble sleeping at night," she said quietly and Emily reached for her mother's hand and held it. "There's only two that I know of but both times, he was completely shaken to the core," Sharon continued. "He feels like he failed me and all of you because he couldn't protect me and I think that's haunting him," she added and squeezed Emily's hand. "I'm sorry Mom, I didn't know he was going through this," Emily responded.

"He puts on a good front, but, I know him well enough and I've been through almost everything with him to know when he's hurting and when he needs a push," she looked at her daughter. "Emily, you cannot say or repeat any of this to anyone, especially Andy. I mean it! No one, got it?" she was stern enough that Emily understood. "I promise," she responded and gave her mom a hug.

The rest of the day went without any issues both at home where Sharon and Emily talked about Emily trying out for another dance company to Andy sitting at his desk, trying to re-read Croelick's folder. His concentration was broken when Provenza walked over to him at his desk. "What is that you're working on?" he asked him.

Andy sighed and showed him Croelick's folder. "Why on Earth are you reading about him?!" Provenza spoke louder and Andy tried to quiet him down. "Would you stop!" Andy told him and then looked around the office at everyone else. That's when he noticed that no one had looked over at them and he was grateful for that.

"Look, I needed a distraction and while everyone else worked on their things, I thought I would take the opportunity to look up a few things on him," Andy explained to his friend as he stood next to his desk. "Why do you need a distraction?" Provenza asked him, wondering what was going on. Andy sighed and rubbed his head with his hand. "Because I'm worried about Sharon and I can't stop thinking that if she doesn't recover from this, I don't know what I'll do," Andy told him and Provenza knew his friend and simply nodded his reply.

"Come on, Let's grab a distraction together in the break room," Provenza suggested and Andy stood up from his desk, placing the folder back in his drawer and then following his friend out into the hallway towards the break room.

"You want some tea, coffee?" Provenza asked him as they both walked into the break room. Provenza headed behind the counter and started to make some coffee for himself. "Ah, I think I'll just have water," Andy replied and walked over to the vending machine, taking out a dollar bill and some coins. "Water?! Really?" Provenza protested at his friend.

Andy pressed the button for water and a water bottle was dropped in the bottom bin of the vending machine. He picked it up and walked over to a table and sat down, waiting for Provenza to join him. "Alright, what's going on with you? And don't tell me it's nothing!" Provenza asked Andy as he sat down across from him.

"What makes you think something's wrong?" Andy asked him as he took a sip of water. "Because you're drinking water, you haven't had tea or coffee this whole day, which is unusual for you, and you're obsessing about Croelick again," Provenza stated as he leaned forward in his seat. "So come on, spill it!" he added and waited for Andy to say something.

"Alright," Andy took a deep breath before continuing. "Ever since Sharon got shot, I've been having nightmares, about losing her, and they're different each time. I see her getting shot in that apartment building, on the street, I see her coding in the hospital, I just can't shake it," he started as Provenza listened to him.

"I've broken down in front of Sharon, twice already. I just need her to get better. I know her kids need her, Nicole needs her, and yes this team needs her. I don't want to be selfish, but I need her the most," Andy confessed to his friend as he sat in front of him. "Have you talked to her about that?" Provenza asked, not meaning to pry.

"She knows about the nightmares, but thinks they've stopped," he answered him. "What about the part with you needing her the most?" Provenza asked. "Why do you think I need her to get better? Or that I'm so adamant about her following the doctor's orders to the letter?" he looked at him and then looked down at his hands on the table. "She thinks I'm overprotective," Andy added. "Well, you are," Provenza retorted.

"I don't even know why I'm telling you all of this! You're probably going to make me talk to someone now," Andy stood up from his seat and moved to the counter, spreading his arms and leaning on to it. "First of all, I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do," Provenza started. "Second of all, I think you've forgotten but I've been with you through your whole 'dating not dating' scenario with the Commander, before she was Commander, and even when she was in charge of FID," he added.

"Now, stop feeling sorry for yourself, get her better so that she can come back to work and kick you in the ass!" Provenza ended his rant, finished his coffee and stood up. Andy turned around and looked at him. "Patrice has made you a real softie, you know that?" he said sarcastically. "Yeah, well don't tell anyone else that," Provenza huffed and then opened the door of the break room and waited for Andy to walk out before he joined him back in the Murder Room.

Meanwhile, back at the house, Sharon fell asleep on the couch and Emily was on her laptop sitting across from her on another chair. She had been researching different dance companies in New York and also here in Los Angeles. She didn't want to mention that to her mom because she didn't want to get her hopes up about moving back in the area.

"How long have I been sleeping?" Sharon asked her daughter as she slowly woke up and focused on her. "Uh, maybe an hour or so?" Emily shrugged her shoulders. "Hmm, what are you working on?" Sharon asked her as she started to sit up. "Um, just doing some research on the different dance studios I was telling you about earlier," she answered.

"Any of those dance studios here in the Los Angeles area?" Sharon asked with a smile. Emily looked at her mom and couldn't help it. "Maybe," she said, and smiled. "Yay!" Sharon sat up and clapped her hands softly. "Mom, I don't want to get your hopes up or anything about me," Emily pleaded with her. "Oh, I'm not sweetie," Sharon assured her daughter and stood up from the couch.

Emily was right by her side as she started to walk out of the family room. "Where are we going?" she asked her mom. "Well, I have to use the bathroom, but I don't need you to come in with me," Sharon simply smiled and Emily got the hint and held back a little. She watched her mom walk towards the powder room in the hallway and close the door.

Sharon looked at herself in the mirror. To her she looked a little on the pale side. She decided to splash some cool water on her face and wiped her face with a towel before using the bathroom. After she was done, she stared at herself in the mirror again, washed her hands, and then stepped out of the powder room.

"So, we should probably get dinner going here soon as Andy and Matthew will be coming home shortly," Emily stated to her as she walked out into the hallway. "Sure, let's get to it," Sharon told her and then followed her into the kitchen. "Did Rusty ever call?" Sharon asked as Emily went to the refrigerator. "Yes, he did but you were sleeping at the time," Emily answered as she pulled out some ingredients for dinner.

Sharon stood there in her kitchen and watched her daughter prepare the salmon filets she assumed they bought when Andy had sent them grocery shopping. "You know, I can help," Sharon stated as she watched Emily pour some lemon juice in a mixing bowl. She was following one of Andy's recipes. She looked at her mom and contemplated what Andy had told her this morning.

"Fine, but no bending over or no lifting on any kind, got it?" Emily told her and Sharon nodded. "Of course," she replied and went to the sink to wash her hands. "You can wash the potatoes and then wrap them in foil," Emily stated. "Oh honey, I think I know what to do with the potatoes," Sharon laughed. "Do you think Matthew wants fish?" Emily asked as she was placing the fish on a baking pan. "If he doesn't we can make him mac and cheese then," Sharon said as she placed the potatoes on top of the stove for Emily to place inside the oven.

Back in the Murder Room, everyone was getting ready to leave. Andy was packing up his things and locked up his desk. "I'll walk out with you," Provenza said to him across the room and he nodded. They were the last ones to leave the office. "Matthew's teacher thinks he needs to talk to someone, you know, besides Sharon and me," Andy said as they walked to the elevator.

"Huh, well, Rusty saw Doctor Joe, maybe he could help with whatever is troubling the kid," Provenza stated and then stepped onto the elevator. "Yeah, did I tell you what he did?" Andy followed him and then pressed the button for the parking garage. "No," Provenza mumbled. "He forged my signature on a math test that he failed, and then handed it into his teacher like it was nothing," Andy started to get mad just thinking about it.

Provenza let out a laugh when he heard that. "It's not funny!" Andy quipped back at his partner. "Sorry," Provenza tried to clear his throat. "Oh come on Flynn, like you never did that when you were 10," Provenza stated as he stepped out of the elevator. Andy reluctantly followed him. "No, but I did far worse things that won't be mentioned," Andy stated as he caught up to him. "Well, there you go," Provenza concluded and Andy stopped by his car. "See you tomorrow!" Provenza waved as he kept walking towards his car.

"Yeah," muttered Andy as he unlocked his car and got in. He started the car and then drove to Matthew's school to pick him up.

TBC