_ chapter 1 _

A warm cup was held in her slender hands, as she listened to Andy tell her all about his day and how heroic he'd been in saving the life of the victim to domestic violence. She loved seeing him speak so passionately about how he loved his job. She admired people who could see good in jobs such as the ones they had.

It was past midnight as they sat in a Starbucks, calming down after work. Andy sat down to cup of decaf coffee, and Virginia slowly sipped at her non-fat skinny latte. Between Andy's vegetarian diet and her fussy organic foods, it was difficult for them to agree on some things, but they respected each others dietary concerns. Whenever Andy went shopping now, sometimes he'd pick-up bacon for her, when they shared breakfast, and Virginia would often find herself buying vegetarian lasagna instead of regular.

He could tell by the way her face had softened and how she'd stopped tucking her hair behind her hair when it came too close to her ace that she was beginning to get tired. "Are you tired, hon? Do you wanna call it a night?"

She nodded her head, further proving his point. They both stood form their small table in the window, Andy taking their cups to the garbage on the way out. She held his arm on the way to the car, her head laid against him. "Your house?" He asked, pulling the keys from his pocket with the opposite arm. She agreed and the drove home in silence, listening to the sound of the busy Los Angeles traffic around them.

Andy reaching the door first, pulled the key she'd given him the week before form his pocket to unlock the door. The cool fall air nipped at her exposed neck, her hair tied up in a loose bun as he'd discovered she often did once she'd gotten home from work.

He held the door for her, as she entered, removing her shoes and heading into the kitchen. She checked the date off her calendar, and went to the counter to get Andy his vitamins. "Don't tell me you're out again…"

She held the container upside down, frowning. Neither of them could keep count of how many times he'd missed taking them because of forgetting them at his apartment. "I'm sorry Andy. If you want we can run to the pharmacy down the road?"

He shrugged it off, moving behind her and taking the empty bottle from her to the trash can. "One day without protein won't kill me."

He moved in, kissing the top of her head, before removing his badge and gun and laid them next to her on the countertop. "I'm taking a shower, is that alright?"

A small hum escaped her as she leaned into him before letting him go. She wasn't sure she could wait up for him from how tired she was suddenly feeling but decided to get ready for bed in the meantime. She really did feel bad for him, this being the the second time in two week s he'd missed taking his vitamins because of her. She still wasn't used to being around a vegetarian so much of the time.

She walked to the bedroom and replaced her scrubs with warm flannel pyjamas she loved to wear on cold nights like that. She hadn't heard the shower go off yet, so she decided to remove her make-up and get into bed without him.

When he stepped out of the shower, ten minutes later he pulled on a t shirt and shorts he'd left at her house over the summer. He found her asleep in bed when he'd walked into her room, about to turn on the light. He felt his way around the bed and climbed in beside her, careful not to wake her.

"Andy?"

She had heard the door shut, and the bed move when he pulled back the sheets. "I thought you were sleeping."

A few moments later, she felt him behind her, wrapping her in his arms and nuzzling his nose against her neck. "We can't keep doing this, Andy."

He perked up at her words, raising himself his elbow. "Doing what?"

She spoke in nearly a whisper, already half asleep since he'd joined her. "Going back and forth between houses."

Of course it'd been difficult, having to maneuver between their schedules, but he didn't mind missing a few pills if it meant spending the night with her. She couldn't possibly be insinuating they separate over this. Forgetting her good pair of shoes at his apartment, or leaving her head bands around didn't appear that horrible to him. Nothing they couldn't figure out. "Yeah, well it doesn't bother me much."

He felt her move in his arms, before a sigh escaped her lips. He knew she was tired, but he wasn't going to let her fall asleep after saying something like that. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I don't like going back and forth between beds."

Okay, so she wasn't breaking up with him. That meant that the only other solution would be moving together. Is that what she was saying? "Virginia, are you suggesting we live together?"

She hummed, hardly awake. He thought about the possibility for a while, as she fell asleep against him. The thought of living with didn't seem like such a bad idea. It would most likely entail spending more time with her, and cutting expenses. He might be able to afford a nicer car for them, and he not as many lost socks, knowing where he'd be sleeping every night.

"Is that what you want?" he asked.

Her eyes were shut, as her breathing was steady against him. She must have been exhausted to be out that fast. He lowered his lips to her temple and settled down behind her.

_ 1 week later _

"Andy be careful! You're going to break the good china!"

He set the heavy box down on the table, heaving as he wiped his forehead. "I really don't care at this point. You have enough for the whole neighbourhood to eat off, so I think we'll manage with these."

He wasn't entirely interested in protecting the dishes that his ex-wife had left him with when they split. Quite honestly, he couldn't care less. "Andy, I understand you're getting tired, but don't get snarky with me."

She was sitting on the floor, legs crossed as she opened his boxes and organized his clothes in piles. Her hair was up as Andy liked best, and she wore a grey cardigan and yoga pants. Andy had learned early on the relationship that yoga pants and sweaters were her Sunday ritual. He'd also learned she liked light candles, warm baths and cleaning the entire house on weekends. She called it her personal day.

He stepped over the boxes around them and took a seat next to her on the floor.

"This would have been easier if you organized them like I told you to."

He rolled his eyes, reaching for a black zip-up and attempted to fold it like she was.

"Andy, you're doing it wrong."

He gave it to her and watched her strategically fold in the arms and then the bottom. "Does it really matter if I'm just going to put it on in a few days anyway?"

She reached for another sweater, eyeing him carefully, telling him that he was started get on her nerves. He knew he should stop, but continued anyway, waiting to get a rise out of her.

He reached for another sweater, this time purposely folding it wrong. "Andy, I asked you to stop. Go bring more boxes in." She ordered, reaching for the sweater.

She pulled, but he didn't let go, acting like the child he was. "Andy, let go!"

He did as he was told, releasing his grip and sending her into the pile of jeans behind her.

He did his best to hide his laughter. He apologized profusely, knowing he was in trouble now. "Andy!"

She wrapped him in the arm with a pair of jeans, knocking over another pile of shirts, only making him laugh more. Before either of them had noticed what they were doing, there were shirts flying around the living room, both of them laughing now. He cornered her against the couch and a mess of jackets they'd made and started kissing her over and over making her cry for mercy.

She was laughing so hard her stomach was hurting, as pushed on his chest for him to sit up. She looked around the room, catching her breath and nearly screamed. "Andy! Now looked what you've done! Now I have to re-do everything!"

"I can do it, if you'd like?" he chuckled.

She couldn't help but laugh herself from the dorky grin across his face. "Absolutely not!"

"Okay, well then why don't I go get us something to eat while you clean up our mess?"

"Fine." She spat.

Clearly, he'd be in the doghouse for a while after this. He stole another kiss form her, before grabbing the keys and heading to the car.

She couldn't help but smile, sitting in the middle of a huge heap of clothes. If it were anyone else she would have been raging, but it was Andy, her Andy, and she couldn't stay mad at him. He knew exactly how to get on her nerves and although she hated it, she loved that he knew her so well.

When it came to choosing where they would live together, he knew her well enough to understand that she'd want them to live in her house. Not only had it been her house for most of her life, but it had become they're home. Everything had happened in that house. It was where they'd first shared a real dinner together. The place where she'd first told him she loved him and she wanted to be with him.

Andy had been married before meeting her, and he had lived with someone else before, but she had't lived with someone since she left her family for college. This didn't scare her, but it made her excited to be living with Andy. She liked the idea of falling asleep waking up with him every morning. She wanted to be able to take breaks from making dinner every night, and cleaning the whole house by herself. Everything about this new experience excited her. Her brother had asked her not to get ahead of herself, and make sure it was really what she wanted and just not what she thought was the right thing. Living with Andy certainly felt right.

Andy's reaction to the situation was different. The last woman he'd lived with was his ex-wife, and it definitely lowered his patience having to answer to her constantly. He was afraid it would be too much for them.

Lately he'd been thinking back to the years before the divorce. The guilt of leaving his family returned, and he didn't know how to move on from it. When his children were growing up, he was hardly ever home between work and going to the bar. He knew that his sobriety had changed him, and his children had forgiven him, but he couldn't shake the thoughts out of his head.

If him and Virginia were going to be living together, he was going to do it right this time. The way he should have over a decade ago.

So heres a start to the new. Let me know what you think so far!

More to come soon :)