Page 50 of Silent Prayer

Her eyes snapped open, vision blurry but registering a male figure looming over her. Instinct took over. She lashed out, her fist connecting with something solid.

The man grunted as he stumbled back, raising a hand to his jaw. "Shit, Sheila," he said. "Quite a way to say thank you."

The familiar voice cut through her panic. Sheila blinked rapidly, her surroundings coming into focus. She was in her own bedroom, and the man she'd just struck was indeed her partner, Finn, who was now rubbing his jaw ruefully.

"Finn?" she croaked, her voice hoarse. "What...what happened?"

Finn sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I found you at O'Malley's Bar. You were...pretty out of it. I brought you home."

The events of the night came crashing back, bringing with them a wave of shame. The bar. The whiskey. Breaking her promise to Finn that neither of them would go back to drinking.

She groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Finn, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to...I just…"

"Hey," Finn said, gently pulling her hands away from her face. "It's okay. We all have moments of weakness."

Sheila shook her head, wincing at the movement. "No, it's not okay. We promised each other, Finn. After everything we've been through, we swore we wouldn't drink anymore. And I just...I threw that away."

She could see the concern in Finn's eyes, mixed with something else. Disappointment? Understanding? She couldn't tell, and that uncertainty only added to her shame.

"How did you find me?" she asked, partly to change the subject and partly out of genuine curiosity.

Finn ran a hand through his hair, looking tired. "When you didn't come back to the crime scene, I got worried. Started checking the places I thought you might go. O'Malley's was my third stop."

Sheila felt a fresh wave of guilt. While she'd been drowning her sorrows, Finn had been out looking for her, probably worried sick.

"I'm sorry," she said again, her voice barely above a whisper. "For making you worry. For breaking our promise. For...for everything."

Finn was quiet for a moment, then reached out and squeezed her hand. "We'll talk about it later, okay? Right now, you need to rest. We've got a killer to catch, and I need my partner at her best."

As he stood to leave, Sheila caught his arm. "Finn...thank you. For finding me. For bringing me home."

He nodded, a small smile on his face. "Always, partner. Now, get some sleep. I'll be back in a few hours with coffee and aspirin."

As the door closed behind him, Sheila sank back into her pillows, her head pounding and her heart heavy. She'd let herself down, let Finn down, and let the whole investigation down.

"Finn, wait," she called out, surprising herself.

The door opened again, and Finn poked his head in. "Yeah?"

"Can you...can you stay? Just for a little while?"

Finn's expression softened. He came back into the room, closing the door behind him. He sat on the edge of the bed, close enough that Sheila could feel the warmth radiating from him.

"Of course," he said, reaching out to take her hand. His touch sent a small shiver through her.

They sat in silence for a moment. Finally, Sheila spoke.

"I can't believe I did that: breaking our promise, disappearing on you...for not being strong enough."

Finn squeezed her hand gently. "Hey, look at me," he said. Sheila raised her eyes to meet his, seeing not judgment but understanding. "You're strong, Sheila. Stronger than you know."

"I don't feel strong," she admitted. "I feel like I'm falling apart."

Finn shifted closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Sheila leaned into him, allowing herself to draw comfort from his presence.

"We all have moments of weakness," he said softly. "What matters is how we pick ourselves up afterward. And you, Sheila Stone, have always been a fighter."

Sheila felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. "I don't know if I can do this, Finn. The case, us...everything feels so overwhelming."

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