Disclaimer: Don't own Rookie Blue.
A.N. This one has been going through my mind for a few days. I am supposed to be writing a term paper...not going so well.
Enjoy!
Sam leaned against the door post and watched her sleep. He knew she was exhausted. After exhausting herself playing basketball (where he lost spectacularly), they headed home for a quick meal and then bed. He knew she had tossed and turned for most of the night but as he watched her he realized that she must have gotten better at faking sleep because he didn't allow his body to relax until he thought she was asleep.
He pushed himself off the door post and walked over to her. When she didn't wake from his gentle kiss, he made the decision for her. Grabbing her cell phone, he called her in sick. She had missed her alarm and his (albeit feeble) attempt to wake her and he knew she needed a day away from the station.
He left her a note, dropped another gentle kiss on her forehead and then slipped out of his house.
Oliver called out to him within minutes of his arrival. He knew it was inevitable but still rolled his eyes as he headed up to the Staff Sergeant's office.
"Since when do you call McNally in sick?" Oliver questioned as soon as the door closed.
Sam rolled his eyes. "She's exhausted Ollie. She spent all night doubting herself because you said that she's incompetent."
"Sammy..." Oliver sighed. He knew this conversation was coming. If he was honest with himself, he preferred to have it with Sam and hopefully his words would be passed back to Andy. "She's not incompetent. Duncan is. I'm sorry if it came off that way. Her job was on the line and I did everything to save her job."
Sam raised an eyebrow. He noted the bitterness in his friend's voice with the word 'everything'. "What did you do?" he questioned.
"I'm staying. It was the only way to save her job."
Sam swallowed hard. "Ollie..." he didn't know how to respond to his friend.
They were interrupted with Oliver's door opening. "The coffee here sucks."
Sam and Oliver both looked up at Izzy. Sam rolled his eyes. "I could have told you that."
Izzy grinned at him. "Can I stay with Uncle Sammy today?"
Sam sighed. He knew he owed his friend big time for Andy's job. "Depends. You gonna run away again?"
"Nope!" She said, popping the 'p'.
Sam nodded. "I'm warning you now. You try a stunt like you did yesterday with Peck and I will handcuff you to my desk. Do you understand?"
Izzy nodded. "Daddy?"
Oliver nodded. "Fine. Sammy, if you pick up a big case, send her back to me."
Sam nodded and then motioned to Izzy. "Let's go find some decent coffee."
They had just finished the coffee run when he got a call about a body in a park. Izzy practically bounced with excitement.
"Why is this so exciting?" Sam questioned her.
"I'm trying to decide what to do after high school. Yesterday at the forensic scientists office seemed pretty cool."
Sam groaned. "You talk to your father about that yet?"
"Nope. I want to be sure first."
Sam sighed. "At least you are making good use of your time while you're suspended."
Traci was already at the scene when he arrived, as was Steve Peck.
"New partner?" Traci teased.
"Izzy, this is Detective Nash and Detective Peck. Steve, Traci, Izzy Shaw."
Steve raised an eyebrow. "Heard you ran away from my sister yesterday."
Izzy shrugged.
Sam decided to take the pressure off of her and asked, "what've we got?"
It was a gang member that Steve's crew had been watching but it was not his normal stomping ground they had lost him last night and Sam could tell by Steve's demeanor that he was not happy.
Izzy glanced over at the body. "Looks like an overdose."
Traci grinned. "Good eye. You may be right. Let's get the body over to Holly." She nodded at the ME.
They were two blocks away from the station when Sam's phone buzzed. Traci informed him that their case just got a whole lot more complicated than a simple overdose. It looked like the drugs were forced.
Sam groaned and then it hit him. He made a u-turn and stopped near a food truck. "Wait here," he told Izzy.
When he returned, Izzy raised an eyebrow. "What is that?" she asked, eyeing the three cups in his hands.
"Try it," he smirked, handing her one of the cups. He placed the other two in the cup holders.
"It's cold. Why would I want something cold? It's the middle of the winter."
"Trust me. Try it."
Izzy took a tentative sip and then "hmmm"ed in pleasure. "What is this?"
"Pumpkin smoothie. Andy's favorite."
Suddenly Izzy realized why he had three cups. "You two back together?" she questioned.
Sam nodded. "Look Iz, the case is a lot more complicated. I know you have no interest in sitting in your father's office all day. I'm going to ask Andy if she's okay with you staying."
Izzy noticed they were pulling up to his house. "She's staying with you?"
Sam sighed. "Last night was rough."
"I know." Izzy said quickly. "My father told me about it."
Sam shook his head. "Okay. Stay in the car and don't do anything." He left the car running and headed inside, wondering what Andy was going to say.
She was awake, but he wasn't surprised that she had not called him. "Morning," he said softly, when he found her in the kitchen. He handed her the pumpkin smoothie he had picked up for her.
Andy smiled at him. "What's wrong?"
"Sorry?"
"You need me to do something. Spit it out."
"Izzy's still suspended. She asked to come with me today...my case just got more complicated." He ran a hand through his hair.
"And you wanted to know if she can hang out here. Of course Sam. Just because I'm mad at Oliver doesn't mean -"
He cut her off. "Let him explain Andy."
"Excuse me?"
"Andy," Sam sighed. He didn't really have time. "He said it to save your job, not because he thinks you're incompetent. He knows Duncan framed you. Talk to him. He's becoming the permanent staff sergeant."
Andy swallowed hard. "He didn't," she whispered understanding the implication of Sam's words.
"He did. You'll talk to him later. Go easy on Izzy. She was suspended for who knows what."
Andy's smile reappeared. "Cop's daughter suspended. I've heard that one before. Send her in. I have to change. Tell her I'll be right back."
Sam was on the way back to the car when his phone rang. "Ollie," he answered. "I'm dropping her off and she's going to stay with Andy for the rest of the day." He listened for a minute and then said "sounds good. I'll be back soon."
He slipped back into the car. "Door's open. Andy'll be down in a minute. I'll swing by after shift to pick both of you up."
"Why?"
"Your father wants to have a 'get together like the good old days' as he put it. Evidently he has all three of you starting tonight."
Izzy nodded. "Okay. I'll see you later."
Sam sent Andy a text to let her know they would be eating at Oliver's place and that Oliver was inviting Traci, Leo, and Steve as well (along with a few other friends - although he doubted that Noelle and Frank would show).
When her reply was simply a smiley face, he knew that her lion's heart had already kicked in and she was on her way to forgiving Oliver.
A.N. I was going to continue this - have Andy and Izzy have a conversation (because art school - sounds a little fishy to me) but I really need to concentrate on my paper. I might come back to this at a later point.
Reviews make my day so let me know what you think.
