Thank you so much for the reviews. They help motivate me so much. Sorry it's all cheesy, but that's me.

Season 2 - Episode 18 - after 'Return to Sender Part 1'

January 5, 2014

Rusty walked down the hall with Provenza and Sanchez, looking back to her only once.

Gone.

She closed and locked the door.

She sat on the couch and finally let her emotions take over. She needed a good cry. She almost lost him. At least he's just staying with Provenza for a few nights ... a week. She still couldn't stop crying. After a long few minutes, a soft knock on the door sounded. She jumped. She knew there were two officers in the hallway still, though she tried to send them home.

As she looked through the peephole, she smiled, but sucked in a nervous breath. She didn't want to talk. She didn't want to eat. She didn't need to talk. She didn't need company. But it was him. Her heart fluttered a little, pulled inside of her, or squeezed … it was a new feeling… toward him, anyway. She couldn't think about it, though.

She closed her eyes and slowly unlocked the door, opening them back up to him as he walked through. He moved over to her living room and stood, watching as she closed and locked the door.

Silence.

She still faced the door.

He didn't move, but he swallowed, watching her carefully.

Tears fell as she turned to look at him.

"Hi," he tried to smile.

She pursed her lips, walking slowly over with her arms wrapped around herself. He'd never seen her so … small. Vulnerable. It hurt him, which didn't surprise him. She shook her head as she made it to him and let him wrap his arms around her. She buried her face into his chest, wrapping her arms around his middle, now.

They'd never hugged like this.

They danced at his daughter's wedding, but it wasn't … this.

They stood, wrapped around each other, swaying ever so slowly, he moved his hands soothingly up and down her back as he felt her sob against him as he also felt her tears seep through his shirt.

He tilted his head down to whisper near her ear, "I've got you."

She let out another sob and if he hadn't been holding her so tightly, she would've fallen.

He felt what little strength she had dissipate and quickly pulled her over to the couch, sitting close to her, his hands now wrapped around hers. He watched her face as she tried to compose herself. Her hands were captured by his, so she couldn't wipe her tears away.

"Thank you," she whispered, "I'm sorr-"

"Don't," he warned, louder than he wanted, "apologize."

She just looked at him.

"What do you need?" He didn't know.

Without thinking, she leaned over against him, both adjusting on the couch to get comfortable as his arms wrapped her up.

"Sharon? Please, will you do something for me and not argue?"

"I've already spoken with Emily and Ricky hours ago." She whispered, unable to speak louder.

"It's not that." He pulled back a little so he could have her eyes. "Promise me, you'll … promise me that you'll do something for me."

"What?"

"Come to my house tonight and tomorrow … or for a few nights. Please don't stay here."

"Andy-"

"Please?" He was begging. She looked away, looked around this place … saw Rusty everywhere, maybe she should…

"Okay."

"Okay?!"

She nodded as new tears fell, "Okay." She leaned in again and let him wrap her up into him fully.

"Okay." He sighed, feeling much better now.

After a few moments of accepting his warmth, she pulled back, standing. "I'll go pack a few things."

He only nodded, staying on the couch until she emerged a few minutes later with a small rolling luggage.

She smiled shyly toward him and he stood, offering to take her luggage.

The car ride was silent. He looked over to her a few times. Eyes closed, tears falling, deep quiet breaths… he didn't know what to say. Seeing her cry did something to him. He rarely felt this way, angry. Livid. Violently protective … this woman had changed him completely.

He opened her door for her, and she shook her head, wiping the tears and smiling as she stood. He led her inside, she looked around. She'd been here two months ago for the first time, but didn't remember much about his house. She'd been so angry with him.

"Your house is lovely," she found her voice.

He wanted to tell her that she is lovely.

He looked down. Boss. Friend. Captain.

"Thanks. Um, the uh, spare bedroom is down there, restroom across the hall, my room is that way," he pointed to the right.

Neither moved. They stood in the dark of his living room, able to see because of the light filtering in from the streetlight.

"What do you need?" He asked after a moment.

She didn't know what she needed. She closed her eyes for a moment and then knew the only thing she could do. She simply walked toward him again and melted into another embrace.

After a moment, she sobbed.

"Sharon," he held her tighter.

"I … he almost … I was almost too late. I-I was … too late."

"You weren't."

"He'd already tried to stab him, Andy."

"I know, but he didn't."

"If you hadn't called exactly when you did …"

"If you hadn't reacted as quickly as you did …"

"I," she pulled away and sat on his couch, looking up to him, "I failed him-"

"Fuck that!" His anger now rising as he sat next to her and took her hands.

"I-"

"He fucking failed YOU, Sharon."

"Don't start-"

"I'm going to start… or I can wait until tomorrow, but Sharon, he put you in fucking danger. He fucking failed miserably and he still is only thinking of himself …"

"No, he isn't."

He stood, turned on the lamp beside the couch and took the remote. "I can't fight with you about this right now."

She stared at him as he flipped on the t.v.

"Andy…"

"You need to sleep and you don't need me to make you angry." He was trying so hard to hold it in.

"You need to sleep and you need to get over being so angry at Rusty."

"I can't."

"He needs you."

"He doesn't."

"Of course he does … he needs …"

"He has Provenza in his corner, 100%."

"But not you?" She asked sadly.

He shook his head. She didn't get it. He barely did and didn't want to put words to it.

"Sharon." He sat. Further away. "I'm in your corner."

He put the remote next to her.

"I don't want to watch t.v., Andy."

He shrugged and just looked over to her.

"Tell me." She ordered.

"What?"

"What you think."

"I don't know if that's a good idea right now."

"I know you're angry, and I … I understand the disappointment, but … he's a kid. I authorized him to be a part of this … I went against my own better judgment and …"

"No." He shook his head.

"What?"

"There was nothing wrong with the operation or letting him be involved. He messed up. Sharon," he took her hands in his, "He almost got you killed, and what makes me the maddest …" he let out a laugh, "is that I don't think he feels … that. He's only thinking of how this affects him. I can't get over that, Sharon."

She shook her head.

Andy took a breath in, calm down, he told himself. "He did not think about your life at all. He was selfish and I will never forgive him for that. Same with the god-damned letters. I'll never forgive him."

She wanted to ask him why he cared so much, but they were friends. He was a fellow officer. He promised her daughter that he'd look out for her. She didn't want to hear him tell her why he cared so very much. There was something … something keeping her from asking.

"Andy," she stood, "we put our lives on the line for strangers. He made a mistake."

He let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Okay … well, I guess I should go to sleep then." She was frustrated and he was right. They could discuss this tomorrow.

He just sat there.

She didn't move.

After a long moment, she noticed the hurt in his expression. The pain … he was disappointed in himself. She saw that now. She sat down next to him again and pulled his arm around her. She brought her arm around his middle and laid her head on his chest.

She whispered slowly, "I can't … thank you enough. I'm so grateful for you."

He closed his eyes.

After a full minute passed, he smiled. "Gonna fall asleep here?"

"Mmmhmm," she'd almost already fallen. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head and just tightened his hold, flipping through the channels as her breathing evened out. He could tell she was asleep after a while and closed his eyes to join her. He'd be awake in about two hours.

His alarm went off on his phone next to him. 3 a.m. He moved slowly, unwrapping her arm from him and adjusting her body so that he could pick her up. She barely stirred.

He pulled back the covers with her still in his arms and laid her down gently, draping them up and over her as she adjusted to the comfortable bed. She hummed, eyes opening slowly.

"Mmmm, Andy," she wrapped her arms around him while he was close and he nearly toppled onto her. He sat when she released him and just looked down at her. One day he'd tell her how absolutely beautiful she was. It took his breath away. He was sure that she knew she was beautiful, but he felt a deep need to tell her, and often. He felt it so strongly that he had to shake it off and tried to bury it down. Boss. Friend. Captain.

"Stay?"

He smiled. "Sleep."

He couldn't stay, but he would until she was asleep again. He didn't dare lay next to her, though. Boss. Friend. Captain.

He left her door cracked open and made sure there was light in the hallway. He checked his phone and went quickly to change.

Ten minutes later, he opened his front door, having expected and heard the car drive up.

The young woman walked up with her luggage. "So… at long last, I'm finally meeting my favorite Lieutenant, face-to-face." She looked tired.

He smiled, as much as he could. "Nice to meet you, Emily," he pulled her into a hug when she reached him.