Mike hung up the phone, an odd expression on his face.

His almost robotic movements caught Andy's attention from across the Murder Room. The way Mike slowly perched his glasses on the top of his head only to have them not end up in quite the right position. Then, after falling back onto his nose for the second time, Mike groaned with frustration, removing them with both hands and dropping them unceremoniously on his desk.

"Hey Mike," Andy called from across the room. When Mike remained quiet Andy repeated louder: "Mike!"

Andy gave Provenza a perturbed look before wadding up a scrap of paper and throwing it at Mike's head. Surprisingly, it came nowhere near Mike's desk, instead curving sharply to the left and pegging Provenza's pencil cup.

When the loud clatter and Provenza's louder, "Jesus Christ! Flynn!" didn't rouse Tao, Andy finally got up, and headed toward Mike to investigate.

Leaning down to stare into Tao's face, Andy expected Mike to tell him to get lost. Mike's utter lack of reaction or response had Andy starting to worry.

"Hey Mike?" Andy reached out and tapped Mike on the shoulder, "Mike?"

Andy glanced over his shoulder toward Provenza, who gave him an equally puzzled shrug.

"He's dead."

"Mike, what are you talking about?" Andy was starting to become even more concerned. "Who's dead?"

"How can he be dead? He was only 52."

Andy again looked over at Provenza whose response was an over-exaggerated look of confusion accompanied by a shrug of his shoulders.

"Uh, Mike. Who are you talking about?" Provenza asked in measured tones making his way to Mike's desk.

"Tuition, how am going to finish paying…," Mike looked up into Andy's face, maintaining a thousand yard stare.

"Maybe he's having a stroke, sir? I always thought you'd be the one to have one."

"Would you shut up, Julio!" Provenza snapped.

Andy finally took hold of Mike's shoulders giving him a significant shake while he looked in Mike's eyes and tried to snap him out of it: "What are you talking about?"

"Johnny...he's dead."

"Who the hell is Johnny?" Andy and Provenza shouted simultaneously.

"Nooo," came a gasp from behind them. "Not Johnny. How? Oh Mike, what happened?"

"You know what he's talking about?" Andy asked surprised by Sharon's reaction.

She made her way past the two men to put a gentle hand on Mike's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Mike," Sharon said bending down closer to him.

Mike's gaze slowly found Sharon's eyes. "He's gone."

"I know Johnny and you became close on set." Sharon straightened up rubbing a hand across Mike's shoulders. She turned toward Andy and Provenza.

Provenza looked around, thoroughly confused, and his brow furrowed emphasizing his growing impatience. With an exaggerated flourish that sent his hands heavenward, he fixed her with a stern gaze before huffing, "are you going to enlighten us?"

Shaking her head she simply said, "Badge of Justice."

Andy audibly sighed then looked sheepish when Sharon met Andy's gaze and touched his arm before she spoke, "Johnny Worth, the star of Mike's show, 'Badge of Justice,' died. Mike lost a good friend."

It was no secret Andy was sick and tired of hearing about Mike's show, but this was different. No matter how much he despised "Badge," this was Mike's friend.

"Mike, I'm sorry." Andy summoned. "He seemed like a really nice guy." Momentarily turning his back Andy huffed under his breath, "Yah know, for an actor."

"He was only 52, a heart attack," Mike whispered. He still couldn't wrap his head around this happening to someone as full of life as Johnny.

"So young. Oh Mike, I am so sorry. Is there anything we can do? For you? For Johnny's family?" A softness entered Sharon's voice, a tone none of them would have imagined not so long ago but now reflected how deeply this team cared for one another.

"Ah no, Commander, it's just … 52 … I just saw him the other day."

"I know it's a shock." Sharon continued to rest her hand on Mike's shoulder.

"He was in such good shape, so fit."

Provenza began to glance toward Andy, sizing him up and down.

"What are you looking at? I'm in great shape!" Andy retorted through clenched teeth.

Sharon stepped away from Mike, calming Andy with a just a touch to his forearm, restoring the somber mood.

Generally, the Murder Room was bustling with energy and activity, even with no case on the docket. At this moment, however, Andrea sensed a heaviness, a quiet that surprised her as she walked in.

"Ok, who died?" Hobbs bantered brightly trying to lighten the foreboding mood. The sudden and simultaneous turn of the squad had her quickly reevaluating her turn of phrase.

"Johnny Worth, ma'am," Julio stated matter of factly.

"Nooo," escaped Andrea, audibly surprised. "But … he was so young! And fit."

"I know…" Sharon said turning toward Andrea.

Andy and Provenza exchanged looks. Julio smirked then quickly found an interesting spot on the floor to hide his amusement and avoid the disapproving glare of his superiors.

"Ah anyone? Mike is in shock over here." Andy interjected.

"Mike, how are you?" Andrea asked feeling a little embarrassed by her initial reaction to the news. She was rapidly trying to process the fact that Johnny Worth was dead.

"Does this mean your show will be canceled?" She asked suddenly not knowing what to say.

Andy loudly sighed. "Jesus, Andrea, it's not all about that show. A man has died. Ya know, Mike's friend has died. Let's show some respect."

Everyone turned back to Mike.

"A show losing its lead," Mike shook his head, "historically that will mean cancellation." Mike stood up, walking out of the Murder Room, "I just … need …" Suddenly the room felt very close. He needed some air, a chance to clear his head.

Sharon caught Buzz's eye giving a small tilt to her chin in Mike's direction. Buzz was quickly on his feet following Mike out of the room.

"Poor Mike," Sharon said, her hands touching her cheeks. "His show was … is what he's using to put the boys through college."

"With their star dead, that's the end of 'Badge of Justice'," Andy tried to sound more solemn than he felt. He was sorry Johnny Worth died but a part of him was elated never to hear about Mike's show again.

"Doesn't Mike have … all the boys in college? That's a lot of tuition," Amy pointed out.

"Ouch," Provenza's hand instinctively clasped the wallet safely tucked into his back pocket. He

grimaced at the thought of college tuition, saying a quick prayer of gratitude that those days were long behind him.

Sharon's furrowed expression had Provenza shrugging, "What? Better him than me. And I mean… maybe they won't cancel. Maybe…" his voice trailed off.

Rusty entered the murder room to find the team gathered near Mike's desk. They all seemed deeply concerned. He could only think whatever case they were currently working must hit a little close to home.

"Looks like a tough one," Rusty said in a hushed tone stopping next to Andrea.

"Oh Rusty… I forgot… you…. " If Andrea fumbling over her words was an instant give away that something was amiss, then placing her hand on his shoulder made him certain something was very wrong. In all the years he had known her, warm and fuzzy were adjectives that definitely would never be used to describe DDA Hobbs.

For a fleeting moment his thoughts raced to Sharon. Where was she? Was she ok? He knew he was being irrational, she had gotten so much better. The rising tide of panic rushed out of him the moment Andy stepped aside and Sharon came into view.

Noticing Rusty, Sharon recognized that panicked look of concern and confusion in his eyes. It was an expression that she saw less and less as he grew older. So when it did arise Sharon was quick to respond. She smiled reassuringly as she moved toward her son.

"Mom? Are … I thought…what's going on?" He asked reaching for her. She took his outstretched hand.

"Rusty, sit down," she gestured toward the closest chair. Her tone had taken on that soft quality he had grown accustomed to hearing when she was about to say something heartbreaking. Doing as he was told, Rusty waited expectantly as she settled on the edge of the desk.

"Rusty… I'm afraid I have bad news." She looked up, her eyes finding Andy's. Knowing what was coming Andy followed her to lend any support he could. Sharon took a deep breath before returning her gaze to her son. "Rusty, Johnny Worth has died."

Rusty could only stare up at her. Johnny was dead? He looked slowly around the room, and only now did he realize that Mike Tao was not among them. "Is Mike okay? Who did it?" He could only assume that it had been a crime, a murder. Johnny took care of himself, ate right, exercised, the whole deal. Nothing else made sense.

"Honey, Mike is shocked. We all are." She looked around at her team.

"Are you okay?" She asked still holding his hand.

Rusty nodded absently, "Yah, how? I mean, what happened? I can't believe it. He like gave me my first real job. He died? So the show's over then too?"

"It was his heart, kid," Andy offered, first looking at Sharon. Andy gave Rusty's shoulder a firm squeeze, "I think it was sudden."

"Yes he's gone. As for 'Badge,' I don't know, honey," was all she could say.

"Badge of Justice," Mike's show (as they all liked to refer to it, mainly just to get under Flynn's skin) was a fixture of the squad now. This news would take them all some time to fully process.

"This sucks," Julio offered maintaining a stoic expression. "Maybe they can write around it, ya know add it to the storyline?"

"Well they could," Sharon said, "it's not unheard of."

"But would it be the same?" Amy asked. "I mean Johnny was the reason to watch."

"No, it wouldn't. A good writing team could work his death into the story but it definitely wouldn't be the same," Sharon said in a wistful sigh.

"Replace Johnny?" The idea appalled Mike. "His trailer isn't even cold yet!"

Sharon turned quickly toward Mike who had re-entered the Murder Room unnoticed. A look of concern for Mike played across her face, followed by a brief look of disappointment toward Buzz, who apologetically shrugged for his inability to forewarn the team of Mike's return.

She walked to him, wrapped her arms around him giving him a reassuring hug. "Mike, Mike, no one is saying that. We're all just trying to make some sense of this. Johnny was such a special person, no one can replace him. Everyone here cares about you."

"We," she looked back and scanned the faces of her team with an arm still wrapped around him, "we want to help you however we can. Are you ok?" Sharon asked. She was not used to his prolonged silence. "Mike?"

"I'll be fine, Commander. I just need some time."

"Of course, Mike, take all the time you need."

—-