Disclaimer: Sadly these characters are not mine, but any mistakes are.

A/N An update to Underneath is coming soon, but I had to get this out of my head first.

The sand was wet and cold against her bare feet; her shoes and stockings long forgotten in the passenger seat of her car. Sharon Raydor stood at the water's edge, her arms tightly embracing her body; trying to find some source of warmth and yet there was none. The warm tears that would not stop flowing from her eyes turned icy cold as they made their way down her cheeks. The wind blew her hair in all directions with the damp night air awakening the natural curls that she had spent time straightening just this morning. She knew she need to pull herself together and get home before Andy and Rusty missed her, but now that she had finally allowed herself to fall apart, Sharon couldn't seem to stop the fear and desperation that surged through her body. Falling apart was not an indulgence that Sharon reveled in nor did she allow it to happen very often. The last time had been a few days after Stroh escaped and she had once again come to this lonely stretch of beach. It had been warmer that night, but Sharon still felt a chill sinking deep into her bones until unexpectedly she felt his strong arms pull her tightly into the warmth of his chest. She had never asked Andy how he found her that night but even then, when he was just her best friend he knew her oh so well. What she would give to have his arms holding her tightly right now.

When Sharon left PAB, she really had planned on going straight home to Andy and Rusty. It wasn't until her phone rang just as she was backing out of her parking spot and she spoke with her daughter that the need for a detour became evident. Just as she suspected, Emily had not heard from her Father in over three months until he called out of the blue the night before; his "concern" for Sharon the main topic of discussion. She managed to hold herself together while she chatted with Emily despite the well of anger building inside her. Jack had used his own daughter to lash out at Sharon and Andy; she shouldn't be surprised that he would stoop so low, but she was and she hated that once again Jack has shown just how despicable he can be. The tears of anger started mere seconds after she ended her call with Emily. It wasn't until she trudged her way through the sand to the water's edge that the tears of anger finally gave way to tears of fear and sorrow.

~~~~~~~SASASASASA~~~~~~~

Louie Provenza grabbed an ice cold beer from the fridge and sat heavily in his leather recliner. He hated to admit it but after the day he has had, he was glad that Patrice was out with her girlfriends tonight. All he wanted was to kick his feet back, have a few beers and enjoy the game. He had just taken a hefty swig of his beer when his phone sounded from the table beside him. Cursing under his breath, he reached to answer the offending item without even looking at the name on the display.

"Yeah?" Provenza grumbled.

"Hey." Provenza sat up straighter when he realized it was Andy on the other end of the call. "Do you know how much longer Sharon is going to be? I've called and texted but she's not picking up."

"Is everything okay?" Provenza asked his tone heavy with concern.

"Oh yeah, the kid and I just didn't want dinner to get cold. It's not like her not to answer, so I wondered if another case had come up."

"No, no…nothing like that. It's just been, well…" Provenza paused for the right words. "You know one of those crazy days. I'm sure the Captain will be home very soon. She had to wrap up a few things with Taylor and you know how that sometimes goes." Provenza glanced at his watch as he half listened to Andy's reply. Two hours, she left PAB almost two hours ago he thought with concern.

"Look Andy, I've got to run. If I see the Captain, I'll tell her to check in with you." Provenza ended the call without waiting for Andy's reply. He quickly poured what was left of his beer out in the kitchen sink and went back to the den to grab his shoes. He should have known something was off with Sharon after what Jack said about Andy in front of the whole team. She had handled her response to the team after Jack's declaration exceptionally well, but Provenza would have expected nothing less. Taylor had then followed her into her office where they stayed with the door closed for almost twenty minutes. Once Taylor left, the Captain spent about ten minutes in her office with the door and blinds closed before she bid everyone good night and slowly exited the murder room. He knew Andy's injury and now subsequent health crisis was taking a toll on their ever stoic Captain. He had heard the panic in her voice when Andy almost collapsed in her office just over a week ago. He had seen the fear in her eyes when they discussed Andy's blood clot, but yet she had remained strong. Now that he reflected on it, Provenza would admit that he had noticed a few tiny cracks in her armor that were beginning to make themselves evident and he wished that he had done more. Provenza made his way to his Explorer, checking his phone before he backed out of his drive. He didn't really know where he was going, but he knew he had to do something.

~~~~~~~SASASASASA~~~~~~~

Sharon turned trying to block the cold wind with her back as she slowly ambled through the sand towards her car. Andy, her Andy…that's how she thought of him now; he could die from this blood clot. And yet yesterday he had stood in her office calmly reading from his little note book all the dos and don'ts associated with having a blood clot. A blood clot…a blood clot in his carotid artery…she couldn't stop those words from reverberating over and over her mind. Sharon knew she had put on a brave front for Andy and for the team today, but inside she was hanging by a thread. She felt as if she hasn't taken a single deep breath since the word blood clot reared its ugly head yesterday.

Her tears continued to fall as she stopped midway to her car and thought back to last night. The fear of something happening to Andy in the middle of the night while she was just down the hall proved to be too much for Sharon; so after hours of tossing and turning she had taken her pillow and quietly slipped into Rusty's room. She longed to curl up next to Andy, but instead she sat for hours on the floor just listening to him sleep. A little before dawn, Sharon crept across the hall and through the bathroom into her own bedroom with Andy none the wiser.

The wind had picked up even more blowing her hair across her face in a tumble of auburn curls. Sharon stepped from the sand on to the deserted parking lot and was safely in her car within minutes. She picked up her phone, frowning when she found the battery dead. She tried to run her fingers through her tangled hair but gave up instead pulling it into a messy bun on top of her head. She checked her face in the rear view mirror and rolled her eyes at her reflection there. Her makeup was a thing of the past and there would be no hiding her red puffy eyes anytime soon. She slipped her heals on her bare feet, cranked the car and started home.

As she pulled into the parking garage Sharon was startled to find a familiar Explorer sitting in visitor parking. She quickly parked and was half way to the elevator when Provenza's voice stopped her cold in her tracks.

"Captain."

Sharon turned quickly almost dropping her purse in the process, "Lieutenant is there something wrong. Is Andy okay?"

Provenza stepped closer and he could see the panic shining in her eyes. "Andy's fine. It's you I'm worried about. Where have you been? Andy called me looking for you, I covered by saying you were in with Taylor. You're not answering your phone. You look like hell by the way."

Sharon let out a ragged breath as she willed her heart to slow, "I'm fine Lieutenant. My phone died, that's all. Come on." She motioned to Provenza. "Join us for dinner while you're here."

"I can't come upstairs; Andy will know that I covered for you."

Sharon rolled her eyes, "Lieutenant, I can assure you that with one look Andy will know where I have been and exactly what I have been doing. Now come on." Before Provenza could resist, she grabbed him by the elbow and pulled Provenza along with her. Once they were in the elevator she rested her purse on her shoulder and reached down to remove her heels. She glanced over to find Provenza staring at her, "Yes?"

Provenza knew immediately when she had first turned toward him in the parking garage that she had been crying. There was something very unsettling about seeing this woman appear so undone. "He's going to be okay you know. Flynn's too much of an idiot to let a blood clot get the better of him."

"I pray you're right." Sharon smiled sadly as they step from the elevator. She could feel her eyes begin to well again, but she refused to cry in front of Provenza. Sharon turned her key in the lock and opened the condo door allowing Provenza to step in first. "Look who I found lurking in the parking garage." She announced as Rusty and Andy turned toward the sound of the door opening.

"I don't lurk." Provenza mumbled as he stepped into the living room.

Sharon hung her purse on the coatrack just inside the door. "Give me a few minutes to change and I'll be right out," she called as she quickly made her way down the hall without out making eye contact with Andy or Rusty.

Andy and Rusty shared concerned glances before turning their attention to Provenza who was now seated in one of the side chairs. "What's going on? I thought you said she was in with Taylor," Andy questioned.

"I lied." Provenza shook his head and leaned forward in his chair. "I didn't know where she was. She left almost two hours before you called. Look Andy, it's been a really shitty day and she's got a lot on her mind right now."

Andy stood, "I know she does; if you two will excuse me for a minute." Louie and Rusty watched, sharing a glance as Andy made his way down the hall and paused outside Sharon's door before knocking softly.

He leaned against the door frame waiting for her to answer. After a few moments the door opened, Andy looked down to find Sharon standing just inside the door in yoga pants and a black tank top. She looked at the floor her eyes not meeting his. He still had not gotten used to seeing her like this. Sure he had seen her in casual wear over the last few years, but Andy had to admit he really liked this Sharon. She stepped back and motioned for him to come in. Andy left the door slightly ajar and followed Sharon over to the bed where she sat on the side, pulling her knees up to her chest. Andy sat next to her leaving just a few inches between them. He gently pulled her bare toes under the edge of his leg while softly massaging her feet. "Talk to me."

"I'm so sorry Andy." She started.

"Sharon you have nothing to be sorry about." Andy interjected.

"You may think differently when you hear everything…." Sharon looked down, her eyes clouding with tears. "Damn-it," she mumbled, not wanting to do this in front of Andy.

Andy reached over and lifted her chin with his index finger, forcing her to look at him, "It can't be that bad."

"Well…" She tried to laugh, "Emily told Jack about your recent problems and he…made a point of saying something to the team and Taylor. It had been months since Emily had heard from Jack and he acted all worried and concerned about me. She didn't realize that he was just using her to hurt us. I…"She tried to take a deep breath, "I'm so sorry. I know how much you wanted to keep this quiet."

Andy could feel her trembling next to him. "Come here."

"No, I'll hurt you."

He took her hand in his, pulling her gently until she was sitting right beside him, their thighs and knees touching. Carefully reaching around her, he pulled her gently into his side; all the while still holding her hand tightly in his. "The team would have found out sooner or later, especially if I have to have surgery."

"Don't say that, the medicine is going to work."

Andy rubbed the top of her hand with his thumb, "And if it doesn't, we will deal with whatever happens. I'm going to be fine Sharon."

She let out a muffled sob and turned her head away from him. Her heart ached with fear and with something else. As she sat there, softly cradled in his arm the realization hit her like a ton of bricks…love…Sharon Raydor knew in that moment what she had suspected all along. She loves this man with all her heart and soul.