Chapter Text
The knock on her door was unexpected and it took her a few moments to push herself to get up. She set her wine glass and laptop aside as she stood, quietly approaching the door. She peered through the peephole and hesitated a moment more before easing the door open.
“Sharon!”
“Jack…” Her eyes roamed over her husband, taking in his put-together appearance and distinct lack of alcohol. “Um, come in…” She stepped back from the door and allowed him to walk past her, watching him for any sign that he was inebriated. Sensing none, she shut the door and followed him into her living room. “Why are you here?”
“I’m in town,” he shrugged and settled onto the couch before he looked up at her, “and it’s been too long.”
She cautiously sat on the edge of the chair by him, crossing one leg over the other while she wished she hadn’t changed into her lounge pants after work. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to Las Vegas for Christmas.”
“Oh, it’s okay.” He shook his head and leaned forward to look at her. “The kids didn’t make it either…”
Sharon was quiet, her gaze softened but still focused on her husband. “How long are you in town?” she finally asked.
“Just the weekend.”
“Do you have a place to stay?” She hoped her voice didn’t hold the same hesitancy her mind did.
“I was just gonna crash at the hotel down the street. I’m cleaning up some business with the law firm.” He shrugged again and she let out a breath, positive she didn’t want to know what business he had to deal with.
“You’re welcome to stay here.” She offered it behind her mind could process what it would mean, and she couldn’t take it back.
“Are you sure? I really don’t mind a hotel like last time.” He held his hands up submissively and met her gaze; she was surprised to see the dark brown that had first caught her attention so many years ago.
“It’s late and you’re already here. And it’s no problem to have you stay for a weekend.” She stood up as she spoke. “I’ll just grab some sheets to makeup the couch.”
He stood as she did and she didn’t notice until she started around the couch, instead running into him. He gently grabbed her around the waist as she stumbled and she looked up to find their faces close.
“Jack…” she murmured, her eyes scanning back and forth across his face.
Everything in her head told her it was a bad idea, that they were separated for a reason, but she allowed their lips to touch when he leaned his head down. The kiss lasted several moments and she pulled back when she needed air, reluctantly opening her eyes to look at him.
The tenderness and emotions she saw in his face caught her off guard and she felt her breath hitch. She didn’t complain as he kissed her again, nor did she complain when he slowly started toward her bedroom.
She wasn’t surprised when she came home to a letter two days later, every presence of Jack once again removed from the home that was hers and hers alone.
The darkness and silence of her condo didn't surprise her, not anymore. It had been a good few years since either of her kids had lived at home and she had adjusted to the empty nest after downsizing to two bedroom condo. The silence still unnerved her sometimes, even a month after she had last had a visitor. Jack had only stayed two nights, but it had been two nights of waking up to breakfast, coming home to dinner, and sharing her bed with someone. She missed it, missed him, even almost a decade into their separation.
With a sigh, Sharon set her tea on the coffee table and cradled her head in her hand. It was pounding and something in either the wine or her late dinner had twisted her stomach. She stared at the darkness of her tv screen and sighed again before she managed to stand up and groan. She placed her plate and glass in the dishwasher and barely made it to her single bathroom before her stomach flipped and she lost what little food she had consumed in the past twelve hours. She had thrown up any other food that morning when a phone call from her boss had dragged her out of bed.
She wiped at her mouth and sat back, brow furrowed against the bright lights in the room and her present condition. She wasn't someone who got sick very often and the thought of trudging through a week of work while nursing herself at home wasn't appealing. The silence of her home got to her again as she sat on the floor, eventually disturbing her enough that she got to her feet. Within minutes, she had brushed her teeth and crawled into bed, settling on the right side of the seemingly too-large mattress.
Lunch break the following day found Sharon at the market around the corner from the office. It was thankfully quiet as she grabbed a box of pregnancy tests and paid for them, refusing a bag so she could instead shove it into her purse. Her purse seemed to throb against her side as she returned to the precinct, sure that every other officer in the elevator with her could tell what she was hiding. Logically, she knew that was impossible and that their glances were only because of her reputation.
She was still never happier to step onto IA's floor and straight to the empty bathroom where she locked the door. After several moments of staring at her reflection in the mirror, she found the courage to take the tests and followed it up with more mirror staring while she waited for the results. She analyzed her reflection with a critical eye, pointing out wrinkles that hadn't been there previously and the possibility of weight gain.
When she finally looked down, the tests only confirmed what she thought.
"I am 48 years old and pregnant with my estranged husband's third child," she told her reflection, just to see if the words sounded as insane out loud. "Oh, god."