None Left To Protest

Chapter 9

A/N: Sorry for the delay, but I made a last minute decision to rewrite the ending. All stupid mistake in this are completely my fault, as the beta is being a very busy bee and I didn't want to keep you waiting any longer. You've all been absolutely amazing with your lovely reviews, favs, comments etc. Thank you so very much for sticking with me and for letting me know that you enjoyed the journey. I hope the ending lives up to your expectations. 3

It was the second time in 24 hours that Andy realized how endless the drive to Sharon's place seemed if he desperately wanted to get there. This time, however, he did not hesitate to use lights and sirens. She had reassured him that help had arrived before the call had ended, but that did not make him worry any less. Sharon had not been very forthcoming with the details, but from the little she had shared, and judging from the sound of her voice, it was all too easy to imagine what had happened.

Provenza had waved him out of the door even before he'd had a chance to fill him in, only holding him back long enough to tell him that he would send Julio and Mike after him as soon as he got a hold of them. The former was still out with Buzz trying to secure some video footage for their actual case. They were expecting their return any moment, but Andy could not wait that long.

When he finally rushed through the barely opened doors of the elevator on the eleventh floor of Sharon's building, the hallway was a lot more chaotic than he had seen it that morning. The end of he hall was cordoned off with crime scene tape, and a patrol officer stood by to make sure no one crossed it without proper authorization. Curious neighbors were either subtly peeking through barely opened door or leaning into the hallway, openly staring at what was unfolding right in front of them. He ignored all of that, flashing his badge at the officer, who greeted him by name. Andy knew him, but he could not remember who the kid was.

Ducking under the tape that was politely held up for him, he strode into Sharon's condo, taking in the scene in front of him. A gurney was being pushed around the corner, and Andy stepped aside to make room for them to leave the condo. The man who was being transported by two paramedics was moaning pitifully, complaining about the unfairness of his situation, his face bruised and bloody. An officer followed them, greeting Andy as he passed by. Another officer who was standing in the living room pointed him down the hall, and when Andy turned the corner, he already saw Sharon through the open bedroom door.

She sat on the edge of her bed, clad in her underwear and a powder blue, untied bathrobe. An EMT knelt on the floor beside her. As he stepped closer, Andy gasped at the sight that met him. The medic was cleaning a cut that started just below her right breast and went all the way down to her navel. The fact that Sharon was still conscious and only winced occasionally as the disinfectant touched her wound indicated that it looked much worse than it actually was.

Andy sat next to her, taking hold of her hand and clasping it between both of his. He studied her closely, searching her body for any additional injuries. Her knees were red in addition to the faint marks she had sustained the day before when she had fought with her boss, and there was blood on her robe, too much to be only hers. Apart from that, she appeared to be uninjured, a realization that allowed him to finally breathe again.

"Hey," he greeted her quietly, squeezing her hand gently. "Are you okay? How bad is it?" He gestured towards the wound that was being tended to.

Sharon rolled her eyes, but gave him a reassuring smile. "It's not too bad. Stings more than anything."

The paramedic looked up and nodded. "She's right. It's just a scratch." Then he shifted his focus on Sharon. "I'll cover it up for you. Make sure you keep it clean. If it gives you any trouble, you should have a doctor look at it."

With that, he put away the disinfectant and started to tape gauze over the wound until it was securely covered. Then he rose to his feet and gave Sharon a stern look.

"Okay, you're all set. I want you to rest for the next few days. No more fighting bad guys for a while. And if the headaches get worse or you start feeling nauseous or dizzy, go to the emergency room right away," the young man advised. "Is there someone who can stay with you for the next 24 hours?" He cast a quick look at Andy before his eyes returned to his patient.

Andy did not even have to think about it. He nodded at the other man. "Yeah, I can stay," he said, giving Sharon a careful look to gauge her reaction. She did not seem to be mad at him for presuming he would be welcome, so he relaxed slightly.

"Great," the young man replied with a satisfied smile. "I'll leave you to it then and check how the others are doing with your two uninvited guests." He pointed towards the bathroom, walking away after Sharon thanked him.

She turned slightly to face Andy and winced at the movement, pressing her lips together to keep from giving voice to her discomfort. He was already concerned enough. There was no reason for her to make that worse. If only her back didn't hurt so much. She was sure that there would be an impressive bruise below her shoulder blades where she had bumped into the vanity.

Of course, Andy had noticed. He cupped her face with his free hand and gave her a searching look, his eyes burning into hers, daring her to hide anything from him.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Sharon sighed, caressing his chest briefly as she returned his gaze.

"Yes, Andy, I am sure. I'm sore and I have a few bruises and a little cut. I admit that I have felt better, but I am okay."

He studied her for a few more seconds, narrowing his eyes slightly as he took in her appearance, then he finally relaxed a little, satisfied that she was telling the truth.

Before he was able to say anything else, however, Detective Sanchez entered the room. He gave Sharon a polite nod in greeting, carefully trying to avoid staring at the amount of skin that was exposed by her open robe. She blushed along with him as she quickly covered herself, tying the belt tightly.

"Ma'am, Sir," he started, after clearing his throat. "Both intruders are being taken to the hospital right now. The one you shot is unconscious, but the medics said he'll make it. Lieutenant Tao and I are gonna follow them and see if we can chat to the one who you signed up for a nose job, ma'am." He grinned at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Anyway, Sergeant Baker said that he'll have his guys out of here in a few minutes. We'll let you know what we can get out of your little friends there. One of them was already busy insisting it wasn't his idea when we passed him on our way into the building." He made a vague gesture towards the hallway and the men that had been taken away. "I'm sure it won't take much to get him to tell us all we want to know," he added on a grin. "Your statement can wait until tomorrow. Get some rest, ma'am. You deserve it," he said kindly, sounding a little awed at what she had accomplished. Then he nodded at his colleague sitting next to her and left.

They were quiet for a little while, listening to the officers collecting their things in the adjacent bathroom. There would still be quite a mess left behind once they were gone, and Sharon was not looking forward to cleaning all the blood off her tiles. She was tempted to do it right away while it was still easy to mop up, but the mere thought of moving more than absolutely necessary was too painful to contemplate.

She sensed Andy's eyes on her, and she could almost hear the wheels turning in his head. He had taken hold of her hand with both of his when Julio had entered, and he had not let go, absentmindedly caressing it with his thumb.

"So, you fought off two grown men on your own… in your bathrobe," he stated, giving her an incredulous stare. "How very Arthur Dent of you."

Laughing hurt, she noticed, but she could not help it. The way he looked at her, somewhere between impressed and slightly annoyed, and the way he delivered that last line made her collapse against him, wheezing, and snorting, and gasping for breath.

They had talked about the Hitchhiker's Guide only a few days ago. He had told her that he was reading it because his son loved it, and it was something they would be able to talk about. She had confided that it was one of the first books she had gotten Ricky to be excited about. They had read it together every night before he went to sleep, taking turns to make it easier for him. She had very fond memories connected to that book, and she hoped that it would help Andy bond with his son, too.

When she was finally able to breathe again, Sharon wiped the tears off her cheeks and smiled up at him, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling.

"I wasn't wearing my robe," she stated with a shrug and a barely maintained straight face.

It took Andy a moment to process her words, and he blinked at her owlishly before his eyes widened when realization finally hit him.

"You broke a guy's nose and shot another guy - in your underwear?"

When she just shrugged again and allowed the corners of her mouth to lift into a small, proud smile, he groaned and shook his head in disbelieve.

"You're gonna be the death of me, woman."

Sharon pouted as she slowly closed the gap between them, her back muscles protesting at the move. When her lips were close enough to his that her nose brushed against his cheek, she whispered softly, "Oh, I certainly hope not."

Then she kissed him. She swallowed his half-hearted protest as she devoured him, her tongue sliding over his lips, demanding access. His arms slipped around her underneath her robe, his hands caressing the bare skin of her lower back.

Sharon moaned when he responded, clawing at his clothes to get them out of the way. The raw desire she felt was unexpected, but the idea of not being close to him, of not feeling his skin against hers was unbearable all of a sudden. They both knew that it was a reaction to what had happened, to the realization of how close she had come to being seriously harmed, but there was no stopping it.

That was, until someone cleared their throat only a few steps from them. They had no idea how long Sergeant Baker had tried to get their attention, but the man looked decidedly uncomfortable. It was Andy who finally met his gaze, while Sharon was busying herself with tugging at her robe, trying to cover herself as much as possible once again.

Her face was bright red, and she wished she was able to hide behind Andy's broad back without anyone noticing. It was not like her at all to get caught in situations like that. She hated public displays of affection that went beyond a hug or a quick peck on the lips. In the grand scheme of things, however, it did not matter much. Baker had already seen her in her underwear earlier. It had been him who had caught her when, upon getting up from where she had knelt on the bathroom floor, she had gotten lightheaded. She supposed that, compared to having his hands on her bare midriff, seeing her make out with Andy Flynn was not such a big deal.

The Sergeant lingered only long enough to inform them that they were done documenting the crime scene and would be leaving. After a hurried goodbye, he quickly retreated down the hall. A moment later, they heard the front door close, followed by the quiet of blessed solitude.

With a groan, Sharon let her head fall against Andy's shoulder, hiding her face behind her hands. His arms went around her, and he stroked her back in sympathy. While he did not really feel bad about being caught kissing a woman he still considered way too good for him, Andy would have liked to keep their fledgling relationship between the two of them for a little while longer. Chances were good, however, that news of what had been witnessed would be all over the department by the following day.

On the other hand, it was probably a good thing they had been interrupted. They had gotten carried away a bit, and considering the last couple of days, it would not have been wise to let things go too far.

"How about we get you dressed?" Andy let his fingers trail along the sleeve of her robe, tugging on it slightly to get her attention.

When Sharon looked up, she was pouting. "Hmm, I was hoping to get undressed," she drawled suggestively.

"Is that so?" he inquired as he grinned at her.

"Mmhmm. Before that," she gestured towards the bathroom, "I was actually thinking how nice it would be to share a bath with you. "

Her tone left little to doubt of what exactly a shared bath would entail, and Andy's mind was only too happy to provide him with detailed visuals.

"I like the way you're thinking. I'd have you right in front of me, all hot and wet and at my mercy." There was a dreamy smile on his face as he imagined that scene, and it only broadened when Sharon playfully slapped his arm.

"I'll show you mercy, mister."

With that, she gave him a shove and got up, only barely managing to suppress a groan as every part of her body protested the move. A bath did sound great, but it would have to wait a few days, at least until her cut had begun to heal a little.

She walked over to the closet, still preoccupied with thoughts of hot water and Andy, and she did not hear him come up behind her. For a split second, she stiffened at the sudden heat behind her, but then her brain caught up with her instincts, and she relaxed into his embrace as his arms wrapped around her, pulling her into him.

His lips found the sensitive skin just behind her ear as his hands untied her sash and tugged the robe apart to gain access to her skin. She shuddered when he trailed gentle fingers up and down her stomach, careful to avoid the gauze-covered cut at her side.

"It would be perfect," he whispered against her neck. "I'd have both hands free to touch you all over."

To illustrate his point, he allowed his thumbs to brush along the sides of her breasts, coming maddeningly close to her nipples. Then he let one hand slide down to the edge of her panties, tracing it with his fingertips, drawing a moan from her.

"I'd make you fall apart in my arms over and over again until you beg me to stop."

She whimpered, holding onto his arms as her knees grew weak. The picture he was painting was exactly what she wanted. Trying to turn around, she was ready to protest when he held her in place, his lips trailing soft kisses along her jaw and cheek.

"We'll have to keep that in mind for when you're feeling a little better. For now, let's get you dressed and fed," he suggested, gently tugging the robe off her shoulders and tossing it over the bench at the foot end of the bed.

He frowned when he turned back and saw the large bruise that was beginning to form just underneath her shoulder blades. Reaching out, he brushed his fingers over the darkened skin, wincing as he imagined the pain she must be in.

"I fell against the vanity. It probably looks worse than it feels," she tried to reassure him.

"I'm sure it feels bad enough," he replied gruffly, not convinced at all by her attempt to make him worry less. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Turning slightly in order to look up at him, Sharon gave him a small smile, grateful to have him with her.

"Could you unhook my bra, please? It's a little uncomfortable."

That was an understatement. It sat right on top of the bruise and put constant pressure on the tender skin. When Andy's deft fingers opened the clasp at her back, she sighed in relief, quickly discarding the item.

She tugged a large, faded LAPD t-shirt out of her closet and shrugged into it, hissing in pain when she raised her arms over her head. After she was done, she wearily eyed the top shelf that held the sweat pants she wanted to wear. Before she was able to ask, Andy was right behind her again.

"What do you need?"

There were so many ways to answer that question, but Sharon refrained from going down one of the more dangerous roads. Instead she pointed him towards the item she wanted, giving him a quick kiss on the lips when he handed it to her a moment later.

He steadied her as she put on the pants as quickly as possible, eager to finally be properly covered, despite all those deliciously naughty ideas they'd had earlier. The truth was, she was exhausted and in pain, and she had not even begun to process the most recent events.

When she was dressed, Sharon turned to face Andy and closed the slight distance between them, putting her arms around his middle. Her head rested against his chest, and she sighed in relief when he wrapped her in a gentle embrace.

They were quiet for a long moment, soaking up the warmth and comfort of each other's presence.

After a while, Andy shifted a little, attempting to draw away from her when her stomach growled impressively. He wanted to suggest making breakfast, but she spoke before he was able to.

"Don't let go," she whispered, almost a question, tugging him even closer.

He tightened his hold on her, kissing her neck and nuzzling into that space right below her ear. His breath tickled against the sensitive skin there when he answered. "I'm not sure I'd know how, anyway."

"Good."

With that she closed her eyes, feeling safe in the knowledge that he was right there with her. The pain was still intense, even more so with every passing minute, indicating that she should take another dose of painkillers soon. Her bathroom still needed cleaning, and it would be days before the physical traces of her ordeal would be gone. The reality of it had not yet sunk in completely, but it would eventually, and she would have to deal with the fallout. There would be dark days ahead of her, but she was no longer facing them alone.

She had not set out to find love again. In fact, she had been very content without it. She certainly had never imagined to fall in love with Andy Flynn. He had appeared out of nowhere, and he had worn down her defenses with his kindness and his understanding of who she was and what she needed. Without realizing it, he had dismantled the wall she had built around her heart brick by brick, until none was left, until all she could do was stop fighting the inevitable and surrender to what felt so right to both of them. Together, they would face whatever lay ahead.

~FIN~