AN: Thank you for your lovely reviews. Reading them always brighten up my day.

Disclaimer these are not my characters just playing with them. Rated M for violence

Chapter twelve

Hamilton sat on one of the chairs in the waiting area. The entire area was filled with cops, but his eyes kept wandering off to Sharon. Who continuously kept pacing up and down. His eyes drawn to her although he wanted nothing more than look away. Taken aback by her appearance when he first arrived at the hospital. His eyes instantly drawn to her clothes. The white elegant dress, in shrill contrast with the color of burgondy red. It had not only been her dress that was covered with Andy's blood, so were her hands. Which was even more disturbing, the look in her eyes. Dull, every sparkle had left her usually so vivid green eyes. They looked foreign to him. As if he had never even known her. Cold in a way, he did not know her, a shade of light green he had never seen before. Her eyes red rimmed, standing out against her pale skin. In all this time they'd been waiting now, Hamilton hadn't seen her shed a tear though. Just that cold, harsh and distant look in her eyes. That she used as an armour.

Everyone was cautious in approaching her. Making sure there was a great distance between her. No one dared to go up to her, adress her. It only took them one look in her eyes to keep them at bay. Hamilton could imagine more people were scared by those light green eyes of hers. As her Commander he believed he knew her well enough, but even he was not sure who was pacing up and down the floor, almost like a caged animal. Her mother had come shortly after he himself had arrived. Hamilton had seen the woman before. Each time in the hospital, as Sharon had been injured in duty more than once. Come to think of it, the woman had been the only one who actually had dared to approach her. Talking to her calm and in hushed tones. All the while studying her daughters body language, to make sure she didn't overstep any of the invisable boundaries Sharon put up. Although she had managed to persuade Sharon to freshen up a bit, as the blood stains were from her hands now, but she was still wearing that white dress.

The waiting room steadily filled itself with more and more LAPD officers, there to show their support, give blood. That's what you did when one of youf own was injured. Sharon never quite fit in. As one of the few women on the force, in Robbery /Homicide instead of Vice, she wasn't larticularly liked. Her all being for following the rules made officers dislike her even more. Sharon not shying away from voicing her opinion or showing her amazing detective skills was not helping either. Many mocked her. Did not bother to hide their opinions. Their voices never hushed. The looks they gave her never hidden. Now they wouldn't dare to come near her, or make the usual remarks. Some probably out of respect, but most of them, because they saw that icy stare in her eyes. If he was honest, he wasn't sure how to approach her either.

He knew he was their Commander, their leading officer, but until now he had chickened out. Trying to convince himself that she did not need him to bother her. Cohen seemed the only one, who dared come near her. Internal Affairs had questioned Zygerski and him on scene, but had let them go relatively fast. Hadn't seen them at the hospital yet either. If they would show up Hamilton would make sure, he'd keep those IA officers from Sharon. It was the last she needed. Maybe if they looked at her, while she glanced towards them with those eyes, they'd agreed with him to leave her alone for a while as well.

Cohen touched her shoulder. Gentle, as everytime he approached her he wasn't sure what he was going to get as a response. The way she looked at him, made his skin crawl. Not seeing a lot of the Sharon he used to know, in those eyes anymore. Cohen could not blame her with everything that happened though. One thing was sure, Flynn wouldn't be alive, if she hadn't continued doing CPR on him. Even when the shooter returned, not once, but twice. Sharon just had kept going, like a machine. Seemingly not noticing anything that went on around her. Her complete focus on Flynn. Cohen smiled sad at her, not removing his hand from her shoulder, gently squeezing it. Hoping his eyes said what words could not. What could be said to make her worry less, to make her forget everything that happened, was still happening? Cohen knew the others were reluctant to approach her. Still he tried.

"Can I get you anything? Something to drink, eat?"

Cohen saw the corners of her mouth lift for a brief moment. Her eyes no longer like steel, but sad. At that moment he was not sure which expression he preferred as she looked so lost with that sadness in her eyes. He didn't want to think about what would happen to her if she lost Flynn. A part of her would die with him for sure.

Cohen was really sweet, but she lacked any appetite. The calming tea her mother had offered her before, had only made her nauseous. So Sharon shook her head.

"Okay."

She was grateful to Cohen for not pressuring her. Sharon touched his arm, as he wanted to walk away again. "Thank you."

He smiled at her, his hand finding hers, squeezing it gently, before he allowed her to retrieve her hand. A frown appeared between his eyes as she saw her stop midway. The look in her eyes changing in a heartbeat. The devastating sadness replaced by anger as her eyes steeled over. To see what had brought this on, Cohen turns around. Raydor purposely strode through the hallway. His eyes fixed on Sharon. That man simply wouldn't let go. At the courthouse he'd been not intuitive at all to Sharon's needs and Cohen wondered whether he would be now. His eyes sought Sharon's again.

"You need me to get rid of him?" Raydor probably would make a scene and Cohen was usually easy going, but he would personally escort the guy out if he had to.

Her jaw set. "It's okay. I can handle Jack."

She probably could. The expression in jer eyes certainly left no doubt. It was no secret Sharon was still irritated, because of whatever Raydor pulled off in court.

"Sharon,…."

The man had only been able to say her name, before she cut him off.

"What are you doing here, Jack?"

Annoyance seeped through Sharon's voice, but Jack chose to ignore it. "I'm here, because I'm worried about you."

If there was one thing she did not need, was his worry. "I'm fine, I'm not the one who was shot."

"No you weren't, but you're not fine either, or you wouldn't talk to me like that. " The frown between his eyes deepened, if his tone of voice already hadn't been, showing his mild irritation.

Him being irritated only flared her anger up. So Sharon's eyes widened. "Like what, Jack?!"

He did not immediately back off, countering her, like he did not know her at all. "Like raising your voice to me, I'm not particularly font of…"

"Then you shouldn't have come, Jack. I didn't ask you to!" Sharon yelled so loud, that everyone stared into their direction. Sharon could not care less. Keeping up appearances was too low on her list at the moment.

Diane saw them both staring at each other. Her daughters balled fists, clenched at her side. Sharon was not going to play nice, nor keep up appearance. Jack like usually missed it, but Diane knew enough about her daughter's body language, to know she should interfere. She laid her hand on Sharon's shoulder, feeling her muscles tense underneath her touch. "Sweetheart…"

Diane wasn't sure whether she'd been able to calm down Sharon, probably not, but she'd managed a calming effect on Jack.

He took a deep breath, looking more gentle towards Sharon. "I care about you, Sharon."

She raised her eyebrow. It was not much more than words as his actions just kept telling her otherwise. Her doubting him so openly only agitated him further.

"I do care about you, Sharon. Now why don't you go home, take a shower, rest a bit…" He tried to reason with her, but it was only adding to the fire glowing inside her.

"You can't be serious?!" Her eyes practically popped. All the anger she felt because of everything that happened now directed towards her former fiance, as he was the perfect lightning rod at the moment.

Mark approached them. "What's going on?" He looked from his wife to his daughter and back.

All her anger instantly forgotten, Sharon jumped at him. "Is there news about Andy?" She clinged to him, her eyes desperate and fear filled.

It broke Mark's heart to see her like this. "Darling, I'm sorry, nothing new."

"How could there be nothing new? Why is no one just telling me how he's doing?!" Sharon was losing it fast. The anxiety taking the best of her.

Diane's eyes sought her husband's ,but he couldn't give her any other news as there was none. Andy was still operated on and in a critical condition.

The look in her husband's eyes wasn't very reassuring. Neither was the way Sharon's nerves rapid unraffled. "Sweetheart, maybe Jack's idea wasn't so bad. You could have a change of clothes. .."

"I'm not leaving here." Sharon's voice was all emotional.

"Sharon, maybe it's better." Diane already saw Sharon dismissing it. Probably because it was something Jack suggested. So maybe she should take a different approach. "You said Andy's parents are coming over. You don't want them to see you like this, do you?"

At least Sharon now looked at her, like she had actually listened to her suggestion. "I don't want to leave here."

"It would only be for a little while. I just looked in, Sharon. It will take a while longer before Andy will be out of surgery. Really you should take the time. Your mom is right, the Flynn's should not have to see this." Painful Mark looked at the blood on Sharon's dress.

" I can't... " There was so much conflict in Sharon's eyes. She knew Andy's parents should not see her like this. The cruelty of what happened to their son. The proof of how dire his condition probably was. Still she was too scared to leave, to break that connection with Andy. Here she felt near. Like Andy could feel her presence somehow and would fight to hold on.

Diane was the first to give in, not being able to handle how upset her daughter was. "Alright, sweetie, I'll go get you a fresh set of clothes."

Sharon looked grateful. "Thank you, momma."

Diane gave her a kiss on her cheek, before she headed out, leaving Sharon behind in her husband's trusting arms.

Mark looked worried at Sharon, his doctor's eye travelling over her, observing her well being. She still looked so pale. Earlier he'd seen her losing her balance. If only Jack hadn't been the one to suggest it first. For some reason she reacted like burned to everything he said.

"Daddy you're not keeping something from me, are you?" The frown between his brows, worried her.

Mark wouldn't tell her everything he knew. There was no purpose of making her even more on anxious than she already was. So he wouldn't tell Sharon, how Andy's heart had stopped, while he was looking in on the surgery. For now it was beating, but the prognoses still wasn't good. Mark couldn't tell her that though, she wasn't able to cope with such news, already worried sick enough about Andy as it was.

"Of course not , darling. His condition is what we expect of a chest wound." He did not lie to her. It was what they usually said to family members. His daughter was a cop though. She was used to ask more questions, to dig herself in to find the answers she searched for.

"Did the bullet hit his heart, his lungs…?"

"Darling, stop, I couldn't tell." Again the truth, basically.

"Can't you scrub in?" Her eyes looked wishful, grasping at straws.

"I rather stay with you." He smiled gentle as the back of his hand trailed her cheek.

"I need Andy to be okay, I need him to be alive. So if you in there means increasing his chances, I need you in there." The look in her eyes urged him on.

Mark took her face in his hands to calm her. "Darling the best surgeons are in there. If I scrub in now, I will only distract them." He could tell Sharon wasn't completely convinced. "If I'd believe it would significantly increase his chances, I would already be in there, Sharon. I know what he means to you."

Sharon nodded now, at least he'd managed to get through to her. Smiling sad, while he kissed her forehead. If only she was still little and he could take away her pain and fear like this. He had forgotten when it had been that a kiss on her forehead had no longer took away all the thoughts that troubled her.

Jack srudied the interaction between father and daughter. At least Mark had managed to calm her down again. Now she seemed a lot calmer, Jack decided to approach her again. If he could tell anything from Mark's face, then it was that Andy Flynn's prognoses wasn't good and then he would be there to comfort Sharon. "Sharon, sweetheart, are you sure I can't get you anything?"

Sharon froze, as she felt Jack's fingers stroking her hair. Feeling like spiders crawled over ger back, sending her reeling internally.

"You still look pale and…"

His voice was like fingernails on a blackboard. Sharon whirled towards him, sick and tired of his constant smothering. The way he still felt he had the right to touch her, to call her 'sweetheart'. "How many times do I need to tell you? I don't need anything from you, Jack. I don't need you here and I don't need you in my life! Now do I need to spell it out for you, or…"

Sharon stopped mid sentence, as the room started spinning. Blood rushing from her brain. Not now, was the last thing she thought, before her knees buckled underneath her.

Jack reached out, as he saw Sharon's eyes spin, her knees giving up on her. She collapsed against his chest and he looked in panic at Mark. "I told you, something is wrong with her. She needs a doctor to check her out."

Mark reached for her. If Sharon had been clear about one thing, it was that she didn't want Jack anywhere near her. Looking down to assess her, the color completely drained from her face now.

Hamilton who had watched it happen, rushed towards them. "Is she alright?"

Mark put up his doctor's face. "It's probably a combination of a lack in food and the excitement of the day."

"No Mark, she was already pale before, when I saw her in court. Sharon had a dizzy spell then. You should really have a doctor examine her." Jack butted in, once again unasked.

It even began to irritate Mark now. "She needs a bit of rest, some space to breathe. Most definitely away from you, as you only manage to aggravate her."

Mark looked hardened, before he swept Sharon up in his arms. He wouldn't admit it to Jack, but he was worried about Sharon as well. He had witnessed one of her dizzy spells before. This could be stress related, but maybe it was more.

SISISISISISISISISISISISISISISISISISISISISI

Mark ran his hand through his hair, as he was handed Sharon's blood work. "Thank you."

First he had given her a basic exam. What stood out was Sharon's blood pressure being very high, which wasn't strange considering the events of the day. He could only imagine the stress she had been in, on the steps in front of thd courthouse. Andy bleeding underneath her hands. Completely focussed on keeping him alive, while danger was still around her. Today had only been the climax of weeks of stress that started the moment this crazy man began targetting police officers. All her other vital signs seemed in order. So he had ordered a blood test, just to be sure it was simply stress. Mark's eyes scanned the results, reading the lines twice.

A deep frown edged between her eyebrows, as she fluttered her eyes open. Quick closing her eyes because the room started spinning again. Sharon moaned, while feeling her stomach turn. For a moment she wasn't sure what had happened. It came rushing back soon enough though. Her heartbeat fastening. Andy, the endless gunfire, the blood. So much blood, on his chest, between her fingers, on the ground. The images passed in her brain like a movie. While her mind tried to regain control. What happened after the courthouse? Andy was in surgery. Her eyes widened, checking her wrist only to find her watch gone. What time was it? How long had she been asleep? What was she even doing in this room?

Sharon put her hand on the railing. Pulling herself up, bending over. Closing her eyes, a hand on her forehead, trying to breathe through whatever it was, that was making her feel so sick. The door of her room opened. She could hear it, but she didn't dare to look up, as she still felt lightheaded.

Sharon felt the warmth of his hand on her shoulder. Like her father's hand touched her so many times before. The gesture soothing, making her feel safe.

"Darling lay down." His voice was low.

"No, I just need a minute. It's just stress." Sharon waved off her father's concerns.

"I believe it's a bit more than stress."

She heard her father's calm voice, Sharon did not care about whatever was going on with her at this moment. All she could think about was Andy. " How's Andy?"

"He is still in surgery."

"How long? " Her eyes now focussed on him.

"Darling, I don't know how much longer. There's no way to tell."

He could see his daughter's growing impatience as Sharon wanted to get up from the bed. Mark took a gentle grip on her shoulder. Urging her to stop. "Sharon, stay on the bed. "

"I feel fine again, really." She tried a smile, to chase away the worry in her father's eyes.

"You have a high blood pressure."

"Jack just aggravates me." Sharon would have made an eye roll if she wasn't sure thd room would only start spinning again.

"Stress isn't good, especially not now." Mark gently squeezed her shoulder.

Sharon sighed. She had to get her father to stop worrying about her. Treating her as a patient. She was absolutely fine. Thd only thing that was wrong with her, was that she was stressed out of her mind with worry over the man she loved. "Andy is the one fighting for his life, daddy, not me."

"I had your blood tested."

"What?"

Sharon looked confused. For the first time since he had entered he seemed to have his daughter's complete attention. "To rule out some things, but…"

"But what?" Annoyance seeped into her voice. "Daddy, it's just stress, all those shootings and now Andy…"

Mark looked at her with a gently smile on his face. Shaking his head a bit, while his hand stroke a strand of hair from her face.

"What?"

The back of his hand stroke her cheek, endearing. "You have no idea…"

There was a wonder in her father's voice, but she had no time for this. "Would you just tell me?"

"This blood work shows you're pregnant, sweetheart."

Sharon simply stared at him. She obviously was in shock, so Mark's smile widened. "That's good news, darling, but that also means you…"

She cut him off. "You're wrong. "

"No, this is a clear positive result."

"Are you sure it's mine?"

He looked at her like she had said sonething utterly ridiculous. "Of course I'm sure it's yours."

"Then the test went wrong. I can't be pregnant."

"You seem very sure."

"I'm on birth control, daddy."

Her gaze held his as if to say times were changing. He had not completely lived under a rock. Although Diane and he were very devoted Catholics, it wasn't like they still lived in the fifties. "Alright…"

"Andy and I discussed it. It was my choice. So those test results are wrong. Daddy I'm fine really, it's must stress." Sharon tried to make sense of it all. Trying to find a good reason as to why she had been feeling so awful lately. Anything else than her being pregnant.

Mark wasn't too sure about that. It was highly uncommon for hospital tests to be wrong. It wasn't like one of those at home tests. Sharon seemed so determined though. Not wanting to aggrevate her further, he smiled reassuring. "Alright, I'll order a second blood test."

Raising her eyebrow, Sharon looked at her dad. Why would he not let this go? She was not pregnant. There was a reason she was on birth control and thd reason was that a baby did not fit into her life at this moment.

Mark would not let it go though. "Just to be sure."

Sharon sighed. She was too tired to fight this. He might as well. Andy wanted her to be examined. He'd been pressuring her for weeks. Worrying over her. Tears began welling in her eyes, at just the memory of Andy looking at her with desperate eyes. Just wanting her to be okay. When he would wake up, she'd be able to reassure him that she was just fine. Yes, that was what was going to happen. He would wake up and she would be able to tell him that she was just fine. That thd only worrying he would havd to do was over his recovery.

"In the mean time, I would like you to get some rest." Mark gave her a look. Just because Sharon's mind seemed fixed on the idea that she was not pregnant, he was fairly sure she was. Everything she had went through already, could not be good for the baby. The high blood pressure another indicator that Sharon wasn't alright.

"I can't just lay here, while…" Her arm gestured wild, her voice filled with frustration.

"I'm sure you don't want to go out there in a hospital gown." Mark smiled as his daughter could ve stubborn, but not that stubborn.

Her eyes quickly scanned the room for the white dress she'd been wearing. "Where's my dress? It is evidence."

"It's in a plastic bag, one of the nurses handed it over to your Commander. It might surprise you, darling, but you're not the only one who knows a little bit about police protocol. Now rest. At least until your mother arrives with your clothes. There isn't anything you can do out there anyway."

Mark wasn't sure whether she would rest, but he knew her well enough to know she wouldn't go out there amongst her colleagues, only wearing a hospital gown.

SISISISISISISISISISISISISISISI

Diane walked into the waiting area, looking for Sharon, but only seeing Jack and her colleagues.

Had something happened? Was Andy already out of surgery? "Where is Sharon?"

Jack's face was etched with concern. "She collapsed, Mark brought her out of here."

"What?" Diane looked in shock at Jack. She had only been away for an hour. Had Sharon been injured afterall. Something internal maybe? Something they had all missed. Could she have been hiding something? Her heart raced with worry.

"Diane."

Hearing her husband's voice, she turned around. "Mark, Jack just told me about Sharon. Is she alright?"

"Diane, calm down." His hands rubbed her upperarms. Trying to get his wife's worried blue eyes to focus on him. "She's resting right now. So could you please wait a bit, before you bring her her clothes?"

"Of course… What's wrong with her?"

Her eyes pleaded with him for answers, but he could not give them. At least not all of it. "A slightly elevated blood pressure, that's all."

He tried to smile reassuring, but Diane looked sceptic. "Isn't she a bit young to have a high blood pressure?"

"She's been under a lot of stress. I'm sure she'll be alright." It was so easy to put on his doctor's mask. Vague in his answers, while trying to be as reassuring as he could be. Mark smiled, as he kissed his wife's cheek. Trying to keep Diane from pinching through the rold he performed.

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Sharon sat down to please her mother. She couldn't stand the worried looks her mom was giving her. If it were up to her, she was still pacing a hole in the floor. Not that it would help. Staring at the clock wasn't helping much either, still she did it. It had been four hours. Her stomach by now one anxious knot. Her mother trying to persuade her to eat something.

"Sweetie?" Diane touched her chin, as Sharon continued to stare at the clock. Smiling as her daughter's eyes finally met hers. "Would you please eat something? It's just some soup."

"Mom my stomach feels like a gigantic knot."

"I Know you're worried about Andy, we all are.. but it won't help him if you're not well, because you haven't eaten. Sweetie even if he comes out of this surgery alive, he'll have a long road ahead of him. He'll need to focus on his recovery then. It won't help if he's worrying about you and he will worry about you, if you won't take care of yourself."

Sharon sighed, reaching for the cup of soup and spoon her mother held out for her. Forgetting all about it though, as she saw her father walk back into the waiting area. "Daddy?"

Sharon looked expectant at him. All the way towards the waiting room, he had tried to figure out what to tell her. "Andy's out of surgery."

Mark heard a sigh of relieve escaping her lungs, Sharon's eyes watering up. Tears of happiness, of relieve.

"I want to see him."

Sharon already walked passed him, but he held her back. "Sharon, you can't…"

Her eyes sought his, confused. Andy had made it through surgery. He would be fine. Was he still worried about her. Did he want her to rest? She would rest while sitting next to Andy's bed. His reassuring heartbeat would lull her to sleep. "Why not? He's made it through surgery. Andy's going to be okay…"

Mark's heart broke a little. He'd never been able to see Sharon hurt. His hand touched her cheek. His thumb lightly brushing her cheek. "He's made it through surgery, but his condition is still highly critical."

"But he will be okay." The despair seeped into her voice and eyes.

He just wished he had an answer to that. That he could kiss her and tell her everything would be fine. Just like when she was little. Sharon wasn't a child anymore though. She was a grown up young woman, who he could no longer shelter from the big bad world around them. "We don't know, sweetheart. His chances aren't …."

Sharon swallowed down the lump in her throat. Fighting her tears, while she shook her head. She didn't want to hear it, as she didn't want Andy to die. Sharon couldn't imagine her life without him. This was not happening, she could not lose the man she loved more than her own life.

EN: Before I will receive reviews saying, wait, you told us she was not going to be pregnant. I urge you to read that end note, I wrote a couple of chapters back, again. And read it well.

I said this wasn't going to be a happy ever after little family, when you continue reading after part 5.