A/N: This idea was something that popped in my head almost a week ago, and I finally decided to write it. A lot of it was written in 1-2 days...I couldn't believe it. I've never written that much for a story in a single day, and I've never written this long of a story, ever. I think it'll be a long time before that happens again. haha.
Anyways, I want to give a huge thank you to my wonderful beta's Nathy and Robin, who were a big help with proofreading and more. Thanks girls!
I also want to take this opportunity to give a shout out to Nicole for agreeing to write a post-ep for every ep this season. Check out the 4x02 post-ep we did (Kiss with a Gaze)...Nicole wrote an amazing re-do of the truck scene. You rock, girl!
On an important side note, THANK YOU to those of you who have nominated and/or voted for There's No Place Like Home in the RB Awards. I was blown away and touched that my story received that many nominations. That story means a lot to me, so thank you! I really appreciate all the nominations and votes!
Disclaimer: I do not own Rookie Blue.
The night sky haunted her; its darkness was symbolic – fitting for how she had always felt that she was missing some light to guide her. But tonight, the light she wanted most was simply a shooting star, something to give her hope. Earlier in the day, she had hit her breaking point and decided a weekend away would be a good refresher. However, as she walked through the garden, glancing at the flowers and vegetation inside the large hotel, everything went out the window. She was surrounded by beauty and what should be peace and yet, all she could feel was pain.
Needing a place that was less appealing, but was open, unlike the confines of her hotel room, she made her way to a long set of stairs. She had previously visited the resort during a conference for one of her college classes and knew exactly where to go. Aware that the conference-room-filled-floor would be empty since it was late at night, she didn't have any worries about finding a quiet place. After she reached the top of the stairs, she took the elevator up to the next floor, turned a corner at the end of the long hall, and then breathed a sigh of relief at the sight before her. The long arch window overlooking part of the hotel grounds was still there, though the curtains had endured a transformation since she last saw it. Throughout her college trip, the window had been a security blanket of sorts. Anytime a break was necessary to make it through the day, she would sneak away from her group to go and sit by "her window", pondering where her life was headed and if it was headed in the right direction.
Now, as she sat down and wrapped her hands around her knees, tugging them to her chest, she couldn't stop the tears that slowly cascaded down her cheeks.
The only light that surrounded her was the moonlight shining through the window, which didn't allow her to see the reflection of a man walking towards her. Hearing the sound of a throat being cleared, she jumped and turned around. She wasn't surprised to see him wearing an expression of shock when he saw her tear-stricken face.
"Excuse me, ma'am, but can I ask what you're doing up here alone," he questioned.
"Do you work here?" She thought it was a legitimate question, especially considering he was an unknown man approaching a girl who was alone in a dark hallway.
Little did he know at the time that answering questions with a question was a signature part of her – the part of her with spunk.
"Don't you see my name badge," he asked, assuming she had seen it.
"Don't you see I'm sitting in the dark with only moonlight to see," she retorted.
He started to walk towards her, but was quickly stopped by her words.
"Did I say 'come closer' yet? I still don't know who you are." Her spunk was definitely being broadcasted.
Not wanting to agitate her further, he spoke calmly and carefully. "I'm Sam. I work here and if you want me to, I'll take my name badge off and toss it to you so you can see it."
The serious tone of his voice told her he wasn't a threat – not that her gut ever hinted to her he was...but that was another story. She should have felt some alarm, knowing her academy training had only just started, but that wasn't a feeling or thought she was ready to confront yet.
Deciding to let him off the hook, she laughed lightly. "You don't have to do that. I believe you. I'm Andy, by the way."
"Hi, Andy." His soft pitch was a sign of nervousness. Chuckling at his slight uncertainty of what to do next, she reassured him. "You can 'come closer' if you want," she emphasized her previous comment. "There's plenty of room to sit."
After he sunk to the floor, he stretched his legs out in front of him and twisted his head to find her smiling at him. "Let me guess, security saw me on a camera and sent you up here to see what this 'crazy' woman was up to," she stated.
He couldn't help but laugh at her sense of humor; it was endearing. "Pretty much. So since you guessed right that means you're actually a smart person and not some crazy one, right?"
"Who said crazy people can't be smart?" She let her smile beam, wanting him to know she was making a joke.
"True," he said, not being able to restrain his own smile from beaming back.
A few moments later, a car horn in the distance broke them out of their trance.
"Look, I know that I was sent up here, but I really do want to know, out of my own concern, why you're up here alone. I don't mean to pry, but you do have to admit it looks a little suspicious." Sam hoped that his forwardness wasn't too much to soon. Once he first laid eyes on her, something in him sparked worry – something that had nothing to do with his job. It was a feeling he wasn't ready to confront yet.
"Yeah, I guess it does." He hated seeing her smile turn from bright to sad.
"Basically, I just needed some alone time, away from everything, but I didn't think being cooped up in my room here would really help that." For some odd reason she couldn't figure out, Andy had no problem admitting the truth to him.
"I get that, but why up here and not somewhere more peaceful, like beside the garden waterfall?" He was honestly stumped at how the spot she picked would provide any comfort.
"Because when you have these beautiful things all around you, things that are supposed to bring people peace, and all it ends up doing is making you long for what you don't have, you can't help but find some kind of solace in what you're used to – the darkness." Her intention was not to say that much, but she wasn't sure how else to explain it.
His silenced fueled her need to assure him she wasn't some person who couldn't handle their life at all. In fact, handling her life was something she was skilled at – she just wished she had the knowledge of if she was handling it right or not. "I know that sounds horrible, and I don't want you to think that I'm some girl who can't find any good in life – that's not what I mean. What I mean is that change is hard, whether it's for the good or bad. And I'm not a person who easily deals with it, so sometimes it's easier to face what you're used to instead of facing something new. Does that even make sense? Ugh, listen to me. I'm sorry, it's just that..." Andy felt like she had rambled on so much that he really would think she was insane.
"Andy, stop. I don't think you're crazy, so you don't have to reassure me that you aren't. What you said makes sense, and if I'm being honest, I feel the same way." He thought her sincere responses deserved ones from him in return.
"Where did you come from," she asked, astonished at his answers. Unfortunately, the question had not been filtered through her brain before it came out of her mouth.
She immediately put her head in her hands and groaned at her stupidity. "That's not what I meant to say," she mumbled through her hands.
Sam's onset of laughter, as wonderful of a sound as it was to her ears, only increased her embarrassment.
She raised her head up and attempted to salvage what was left of her dignity. "What I meant to say was that I don't get how understanding you are about all of this even though you don't know me." Well, it wasn't exactly what she meant to say, but it would do for now.
But of course, he understood anyway, which she suspected would soon be no surprise to her anymore, if her intuition was on target. "Like I said, I feel the same way. I get it, Andy. You get stuck in a certain place for so long that you don't know how to function if you're not in it."
She nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, something like that."
Neither said anything for the next minute while they were contemplating the fact they had just spoken vulnerable admissions to a stranger. Unsurprisingly, though, Andy could only tolerate the soundless atmosphere between them for so long.
"Sam, would it be ok if I asked you a personal question...you know, since we're baring our souls and all," she laughed a little at the last half of her statement.
He laughed with her before answering. "Sure."
"Are you seeing someone? I mean, don't think I'm trying to jump too far ahead or anything, I'm not, but I wouldn't want your girlfriend to get upset that you're up here having a heart to heart in the dark with some girl you barely know." She internally berated herself for starting to ramble again, but had no clue that her rambling tendency was a trait Sam thought was adorable.
The smile on his face refused to leave. "You don't have to worry. I'm not seeing anyone."
She let out a sigh of relief, "Oh, good," before her panic ensued. "No, wait, that sounds bad. I meant that...you know what, forget it...I don't think I can make a bigger fool of myself than I already have. Then again, I seem to be doing only that." She released a loud breath, frustrated with herself.
Sam's pearly whites were far from hiding by the time she was done with her mini-speech. "I know exactly what you meant – you want me all to yourself."
Andy gasped loudly before widening her eyes. "What? Where are you getting that from?"
It seemed impossible, but even more of his pearly whites were on display then. "You do realize you didn't say 'no', don't you?"
The size of her eyes grew as her jaw dropped open. "I...I...I just..." Andy stuttered.
Sam decided to cut her some slack, though his smile was still plastered on. "Relax, Andy. I was just teasing."
"I knew that," she tried to recover.
He laughed quietly and held out his hand. "I tell you what...why don't we spend some time getting to know each other? I'll tell you what you wanna know if you tell me what I wanna know. Deal?"
Andy slowly placed her hand in his. "Deal," she smiled, shaking on their compromise.
When their hands touched, both of them felt a sensation surge through them that they had never experienced before. It was as if the caress of their skin was this feeling they suddenly wanted to be privileged to the rest of their lives and neither of them knew what to do with that mutual knowledge.
The eyes of the man looking back at her simultaneously unnerved and comforted her. Although she feared that he was looking into her soul, a part of her wanted him to, hoping that he would be the person she's been waiting on to really know her - and love her, regardless of what they find.
Letting go of her hand, Sam began talking. "So, how do we start," he grinned.
Her own lips turned up in response. "Well, how old are you?" Andy couldn't resist the opportunity to tease him.
Sam cracked up and answered truthfully. For the next two hours, they shared their background, along with stories of their childhood and from the academy. Although Andy was new to the academy, her fellow rookies left her with no shortage of story material. Their laughs filled the empty hallway with more than just sound – they filled it with a sense of peace, and it was starting to become a fact that didn't scare them anymore. Rather than being afraid of the innate ease with each other, they were beginning to accept it and cherish it.
Once the laughter had finally ceased and their ribs were not hurting as much, Andy sensed her emotions getting the best of her and wasn't able to prevent another vulnerable admission from coming out. "I know this spot by the window doesn't seem to be one of comfort, but it brought me you." Andy silently implored him with her eyes to understand what she was really saying.
And he did.
The sentiment brought joy to his heart and an emotion-filled whisper to his voice. "I'm glad it was me."
"So am I," she responded.
Less than a minute later, Sam's demeanor changed, forcing some tension into the air between them. "Look, Andy, there's something I need to tell you."
"What is it?" She didn't want to, but she started to fear it would be something that would ruin any progress they had made together.
"I should have told you earlier, but to be honest, I've enjoyed this time so much with you that I haven't thought about it since I first came up here." He let out a loud sigh before he proceeded. "I'm supposed to be leaving tomorrow, Andy." The regret in his voice was clear as day to both of them.
"What do you mean by 'supposed' to?" She noticed his emphasis on 'supposed' when he said it and that only added to her confusion.
Sam obviously didn't want to run her off, but recognized it was critical for him not to hold anything back, if there was any chance they could be something special to each other. "Whatever you do, please don't run after I say this." He hated begging, but in this instance, it felt necessary.
"Earlier, you told me that you didn't want me to think you were jumping too far ahead...well, I don't want you to think that I am either, but the thing is that I'm not sure I want to leave...not if staying means there's a chance we could be together." Before she could say anything, he kept going. "I'm not trying to freak you out, because I know we just met, but Andy, these last few hours with you have been the greatest time I've had in longer than I can remember. Though, if you want complete honesty, I don't think I've ever had this much fun or laughed this much at once. And it's more than that...it's about more than the laughing or teasing...it's just something that feels right. I'm a go-with-my-gut kind of guy and my gut is telling me that I need to figure this out before I leave – figure out if there's a reason for me to stay." He wasn't oblivious to the fact that, aside from his storytelling with Andy tonight, his declaration was probably the most he had said at once since who knows when.
"Sam," she sighed out. Her mind was clouded, not knowing how to process this new information.
"Yeah," he breathed. "I umm...I just needed you to know, no matter what." His eyes said more than his words could.
A single tear slid down her face, but it was a different picture from when he first saw her – this picture was one with happy tears.
A big smile erupted on across her face. "I feel the same, Sam. I know it's soon, but like you, I also go with my gut, and everything about this, us, feels right."
It was then that her smile started to fade. "But I don't want to hold you back. I don't know why you're leaving, but I know that I don't want to be a reason for you to someday regret not leaving when you had planned to."
"Actually, as much as I hate to admit it, the reason I was moving was to get away. But being with you here tonight...if that could be my life, then I don't want to leave."
At that, Andy allowed a small smile to slip through.
"The truth is an acquaintance of mine from my old division had decided to move out of the country and start his own private investigator business in a place where there was less competition because of the higher crime rate driving some residents out of town...but of course, for former cops, it would be a booming business, in a sense. Some of the cops in the area are known for being dirty, so a lot of people hire a PI instead of going to the police. But ironically, I wasn't going to go with him to be a PI...I was going because it would give me a chance to do a lot of UC work for him, and since I didn't have family that tied me down, I thought the UC would be a good escape. Plus, it would allow me to do things on my own terms and earn a lot more than I did as a street cop.
Anyways, I decided to quit the force and take a temporary job to give me the opportunity to earn some more moving money up until the day before I actually move, so when I saw I could earn some decent cash working security for some events at the hotel, I took the job. And here I am." Sam grinned at Andy after telling his history of the past few months.
"Wow," she said, unsure of what other words would fit her current thoughts.
"Did we switch roles or something? Cuz you were the one rambling earlier." They both chuckled at the same time. "Apparently," she replied.
"So, where does this leave us?" It figured that she would be the one to ask the million dollar question.
"I think that depends on you. I want to be with you, Andy, but I won't push you to do anything you're not ready for or don't want to do. Just whatever you do, don't make a decision based on guilt because you think you're hindering some dream of mine...you're not. This isn't a dream, Andy, it's an escape. And if I had the privilege to be with you, I wouldn't need one, because I would be happy where I was. Besides, my buddy isn't gonna care if I back out at the last minute; it won't take him long to find a replacement for me once he moves." He had no choice but to lay everything out on the line.
Andy sat there not saying a word while she tried to gather her thoughts. Even though she wanted to ask Sam to stay, that wasn't who she was – at least not yet. She wanted to have the nerve to be able to ask him to stay, but in reality, she didn't think she was worth that big of a risk and would never forgive herself if she instilled regret in him for choosing to stay. The decision would have to be up to him, though in her heart, she secretly wished he would pick her.
Two minutes had gone by before she came up with the only solution she would consider.
"What time do you leave tomorrow," she asked.
"My plane leaves at eleven tomorrow night. Why?" He was curious if she was going to make him wait until tomorrow for an answer. He wasn't lying when he expressed to her that he would understand if she wasn't ready, but he was still left with some hope. There was a feeling inside him that told him they were on the same page – that she was willing to give them a chance, despite any of her fears.
"I'm booked for the weekend, so I'll sneak up here again tomorrow night. If umm...you umm...wanna meet me, I'll come up here at eleven." Her insecurities wouldn't let her use the word 'stay' in any form or fashion. Because if he did end up missing his plane, she was not ready to confront those insecurities until she was forced to – handling that vulnerability was far from easy.
"And what if I'm ready to make a decision right now?" Sam had no doubt about what his choice would be, but he speculated how big of a factor Andy's fear would play in hers – if it would push her to take the plunge, or if it would drive her away, literally.
"Then don't tell me. I'll find out tomorrow. It's just not something I can face right now, no matter what your answer is. This is a life-changing decision for you, and I can't deal with that easily, good or bad, since I'm partly responsible for it." She hoped her explanation would not frustrate him.
"I understand that, but I'm still confused about something." He was kind of surprised she hadn't noticed she was missing a key piece of information.
"What's that?" She was sincerely perplexed.
"How will I know what your choice is," he inquired with raised eyebrows, nodding his head towards her.
Andy's mouth slipped open in shock. She had been so wrapped up in her conflicting thoughts, driven by her fear, that she forgot to include that little tidbit in her 'window meeting' idea. Trying to hurriedly correct herself, Andy naturally began her rambling again. "Well, if my choice is to go back home alone, then I'll want to get away from here...which is ironic, seeing as that this is the place I wanted to get away to...but whether I would say bye to you or just a window, it would be too hard for me to be here another night. So, I guess if you see me with luggage, then you'll know. Then again, if I pick you and you're not here, I guess I could always pack really quick and leave, cuz I'm obviously not going to want to spend the night here if that's the case...I mean, that'd be really hard to deal with too, knowing I wasn't 'chosen'. Not that I'm trying to pressure you to..."
"McNally, slow down. Just stop for a second." Sam gingerly raised his hands, gesturing for her to halt her ramble.
Hearing her last name captured her attention, but she should have expected it, considering the way he teased her with it when they were sharing their backstories.
"I've got it. Luggage or no luggage." His desire was to just pull her into a kiss and tell her right then and there where his plane ticket would be tomorrow. However, he was aware that doing so could ruin any shot he had with her.
"Ok," she breathed out, agreeing, but still sounding a little nervous.
"Tell you what, why don't we get out of here, so you can head back to your room and sleep on it? It's late anyway, and this way you can have a little more time to think about things."
"Yeah," she said, unwilling to reveal that she was not ready to leave him yet, knowing this may be their last encounter, ever.
Sam stood up and held out his hand for her to take. As she grabbed onto his hand, both of them felt the same sensations run through them again. He pulled her up quickly, not thinking about the dizziness she had developed after sitting down for so long. She fell into him, and he enclosed his arms around her, keeping her from sinking to the ground. She threw her arms around his neck, knocking him off balance even more. He was so distracted by her and their almost-tumble that he didn't realize his own dizziness was also contributing to his wobbly legs. As their bodies swayed from side to side during their attempt to stand up straight, Andy started giggling. "Are we dancing or something?"
"What do you think, McNally," Sam teased, drawing out the syllables of her last name. He was oblivious to the fact that his way of creating a whole new way to say her name did nothing to help her currently-bended knees.
She stepped closer to him, pulling his arms tighter around her waist, before replacing hers around his neck and starting to sway with purpose. He caught onto what she was doing and gladly led her around in slow circles. It briefly crossed her mind that it was the first time she had ever let someone lead. The two of them were so naturally in sync that music was not even needed. As cliché as it was, they were making their own harmony – forming a new arrangement.
In his arms, Andy felt more comfort than she ever had before. His grip was the perfect combination of strong and tender. His hands slid up and down her back to the beat of their own hearts, soothing her to the point where she could doze off at any moment. As more time passed, Sam noticed the arms around his neck gradually loosening and the feet next to his slowing down. He looked at Andy to see that she was starting to fall asleep. Careful not to startle her, he gently whispered her name. "Andy." When she didn't answer, he tried again, barely elevating his voice. "McNally." A few seconds and sighs later, she opened her eyes, only to be met with ones filled with both humor and awe. He was amused by the image of her dozing, but also touched and humbled that she felt comfortable enough and trusted him enough to sleep on his shoulder, despite the fact they had only met a few hours ago.
"Yeah?" Andy questioned softly.
"You were starting to doze off. You better head back to your room before I have to carry you there," he teased.
"I'm sure you would absolutely hate having to do that." They both chuckled at her sarcasm.
"Seriously though, why don't I walk you to your room?" Sam inquired.
Andy lifted her head up from his shoulder and had a sweet, but serious smile on her face. "As much as I would love the escort, I think it's better we say goodnight here. No matter what happens tomorrow, this moment with you is how I want to remember tonight ending."
She paused before her expression turned into a full-blown grin. "Besides, there are not many better ways to end a night than with dancing."
After Sam listened to her reasoning, his dimples emerged from hiding. Realizing he was now the one grinning like an idiot, he toned the dimples down some before replying. "Well, I'm uhh…not one for dancing, but umm…a dance like that…I could get used to it."
"Me too." Andy smiled back.
Lost in each other's smile, it was another minute before either one spoke.
"I guess I better get going." As usual, silence was Andy's allergy.
"Yeah," Sam agreed with a nod of his head. "It's real late."
"Yeah, it is," she nodded herself.
Both spoke in a nearly inaudible tone, as they were disappointed they had to part, not knowing if it would be their last time to or not; although, if their last time meant being together forever, then they were more than okay with that. On one hand, the idea of forever with a stranger was frightening to them, but on the other, it was comforting – the kind of comfort that only came from the "once-in-a-lifetime, love-at-first-sight, you-had-me-from-hello" type of innate love.
"Look, Sam, I umm…I just want you to know that tonight has meant a lot to me. It's been uhh…kinda amazing," she admitted.
"It has been pretty awesome, huh?" Sam smiled at her. "But uhh…it's meant a lot to me, too." He needed her to know for certain that tonight had been special for him also.
Holding her tears at bay, she hugged him. "I'll never forget this night, Sam."
"I won't either." Andy wasn't the only one holding back tears.
Regrettably, she drew herself back from the hug and from Sam. "Goodnight, Sam," her despondent voice called out to him while she carefully walked backwards to the end of the hallway.
"Goodnight, Andy." The tone of his voice was a replica of hers.
Their eyes refused to leave the other's until they were out of sight.
By the time Andy was prepared for bed, an envelope was slid under her hotel room door. She immediately went to grab it, and when she saw 'From: Sam' on the front, she reached for the door, hoping she could catch him before he got too far away. Upon scanning the hallway, the only person visible was a security guard waving at her with a smile on his face, before rapidly disappearing around the corner.
Making her way to her bed, she noticed there was more writing on the front. The double underlined text instructed her to not open the envelope until tomorrow at midnight. Aware that eleven was the time of Sam's plane, she began to worry what the envelope held. Was she holding her future in her hands? Had he written her a letter to tell her his decision – that he was going to leave?
She groaned, knowing that trying to sleep tonight would be hopeless. She put the envelope on the nightstand and turned on the TV, mentally crossing her fingers for a decently distracting movie. A distraction from that envelope and thinking of Sam? Just something else that was hopeless.
Right about the time she was about to pick up her cell and purchase the infomercial's product, if only for the possibility a conversation would distract her, the phone's alarm went off. Of course, with her mind bogged down, she forgot to change the time of her alarms that she had set once she arrived at the hotel. At the time, she had plans for the day, an itinerary of sorts, thinking that a day of fitness then spa treatments was the perfect idea. She should have known that things would have been unpredictable – ironically, the only thing predictable about her life was that it was unpredictable.
Throwing her phone down on the bed, she flopped back onto her pillows and did the only thing she knew that might allow her to sleep – she let her tied-up-and-bound emotions go. She cried from ruminating on her past sufferings. She cried from worry of her dad's struggle with alcohol. She cried from heartache of how much she longed for normalcy. But most of all, she cried from fear of what 11 p.m. and the possible foreshadowing of her future it would bring. She wondered if it would be a sign of hope or a sign of doom.
Several hours later, semi-rested from her tear-induced sleep, Andy awoke to the sound of the room phone ringing. Still groggy from her sleep, she held onto a glimmer of optimism that it would be Sam calling and hastily reached for the phone. Disappointed that it was just the front desk making sure everything was all right, which her inner self yelled that it wasn't, she collapsed back against the mattress, trying to figure out what to do until she had to get ready.
Following a few episodes of one of her favorite sitcoms, since dramas were out of the question right now, she turned off the TV and got into the shower, positive that preparing herself for what was to come was going to take awhile. Once she got everything straightened out, including her dress, she left her room and sucked in a deep breath, uneasy about what lied ahead of her. Tightly clutching the envelope in her hand, she trekked to her destination. When the elevator door opened, she walked down the hallways that led her to the arch window. Her watch showed it was 10:50 p.m. She already was confident in how long it took to get there and wanted to leave no excess time; the ten minute wait would be hard enough to deal with. She wasn't the most patient person in situations like this. Then again, she had never been in a situation like this one. Either way, patience wasn't her strong suit.
She spent the next ten minutes going over every possible scenario, wanting to have a backup and escape plan for all of them - not that she hadn't gone over them since getting to her room after saying goodnight to Sam, but to her, it was never a bad suggestion to keep practicing a mental execution of the plans.
She looked at her watch again - 11:00. Now was the moment of truth.
11:06
11:08
11:15.
11:19.
11:25. She wondered if running late was his thing; if so, they had that in common.
11:28.
11:36. She began biting her nails.
11:41.
11:48. Her depression started to set in.
11:50. Blinking back her tears, she decided to wait ten more minutes, hoping his tired mind got the time wrong.
11:53.
11:55.
11:58.
11:59. She prayed over and over for him to show up, asking God to let this work out for her and Sam.
12:00 – It was the stroke of midnight and the prospect of having a Cinderella story was deteriorating before her eyes.
Right as she started to walk away, she saw Sam come around the corner. He cautiously approached her.
The look on their faces and in their eyes was a mixture of relief, confusion, and hesitancy.
"You came," she gasped.
"And you brought your luggage." His breathy words were both a question and statement.
"Yeah," she answered, just as quietly as him.
"Does that mean…?" He couldn't even get the full sentence out – he didn't want to.
"Actually, before we talk about that, is it ok if I open the envelope now?" She had to know what it said.
Willing to do anything to keep her there longer, in hopes that he could change her mind, he gave his permission. "Yeah. Go ahead."
While watching her open the envelope with regard, he was apprehensive of how she would take it.
Sliding the object out, Andy discovered it was his plane ticket holder. With unsteady hands, she opened the holder and caught sight of a folded piece of paper dropping to the floor. Picking it up and unfolding it, Andy's eyes grew enormously as she read the note.
Andy,
After the things we shared earlier, I know you will have your doubts about our decisions, whether they're good or bad. So I wanted to write you a note to explain something; otherwise, I know you will second guess my decision for sure. I want you to know that when I basically asked you what would you do if I told you I had already made my decision…I really had already made it. I had already chosen you. I'm telling you this because it's important to me for you to know that I wanted you from the beginning…that you ARE worth the risk…that it didn't take me long to figure that out. I'm ready to start this with you. I don't need to escape anymore if I have you as my escape. I hope you feel the same. I want this to work, Andy, I really do. I want us to be partners.
And if you're reading this and decided not to try things, then you have to know that I will never forget you, because you are special. I've never felt the way I do when I'm with you – that's the truth. And I promise you that I will keep praying that we will find each other again one day. I just hope that I won't have to worry about finding you again because you decided to give us a chance.
Be safe. I'll be thinking about you.
-Sam
Tears were flooding down her face by the time she had finished reading. She threw her arms around Sam, holding on tight and letting the tears continue to flow. "Oh, Sam." Andy was amazed at how well he already knew her inner fears and insecurities - that he was able to put them into words.
Strengthening his grasp around Andy's waist, Sam entertained the thought that maybe the note had changed her mind.
Leaning back from him far enough to clearly see his face, she asked him the question that's been on her mind from the moment she read the text on the front of the envelope. "Why did you say to wait until midnight to open it?" Andy paused after asking, as something suddenly occurred to her. "Did you plan to be an hour late?"
Recognizing this could be a make it or break it response, Sam mindfully proceeded. "To answer your first question, it's because I needed to see your reaction to me just showing up. Obviously, you would be here, but I had to know how you felt about me being here. I didn't want you to think I lied about when I wrote the note, so I had my buddy deliver it last night, so there would be no question of when it was written. I needed you to know these things, Andy - how this has felt so right to me from the very beginning that I'm changing every plan because of you. Because I care that much about you." Sam paused for a moment before continuing on.
"And about your second question, I did plan it, yes. I came up here a little after eleven and waited at the corner. I know this is gonna sound horrible, but I needed to know how long you would wait for me…that you were confident enough in your decision to wait that long, because I know you had a lot of fears about all this. I forced myself not to look until midnight, to see if you were there. I barely made it, though. But I knew if I had looked any earlier and saw you there, I wouldn't have been able to do anything but rush right over to you. Please forgive me, Andy, please. But I had to know. I had to know that you want this bad enough that you would wait. The last thing I wanna do is pressure you into something you're not ready for. Can you please forgive me?"
Andy was full of shock – shock from Sam's words and reasoning, and shock at how much he had said.
The more time that went by in silence, the more nervous Sam became.
To his relief, or so he hoped, Andy started speaking. "Wow, uhh…I can't say I expected all that, but uhh…I guess I can't blame you. Because you were right…I have spent just about every hour since we left each other last night thinking about what if's and all that. So yes, I forgive you. But, I have to admit that it does make me want to punch you for making me wait." Neither could resist somewhat cracking up at her feisty comment. And Sam definitely couldn't deny that he liked her feisty side.
When the laughs subsided, Sam then asked the question he had been waiting to ask.
"You haven't answered me yet about your luggage. Did you decide to just get out of here? Did what I said change your mind?" If he sounded desperate, he no longer cared. His priority was finding a way for her to give them at a chance at having a relationship.
"Actually, I did decide to get out of here," she bluntly responded.
"You want to get out of here?" Sam didn't want to believe his ears. He felt crushed.
"Yeah, with you." Andy brought her beaming smile out from hiding.
"What?" He was thrown for a loop.
Andy could not stop the laugh that came out.
"I want to get out of here with you. I do."
"You do?" He was so overwhelmed with elation and surprise that he couldn't think straight.
The laughs from her continually poured out.
"Yes, silly, I do." The smile on her face caused the speed of his heart to skyrocket.
Sam couldn't take it anymore. He reached forward, picked her up, and spun them around a few times. It was out of character for him to express his joy in that way, but hearing her giggles as they went in circles forced every concern to float away. All that mattered was this moment. To Andy, it was a physical demonstration of the feelings she already had - this time, he was literally sweeping her off her feet.
Once Andy's feet were physically back on the ground – figuratively, they were still up in the air – she clasped her hands around Sam's waist and fully answered his earlier question.
"I decided to bring my luggage because I knew that whether I was leaving with or without you, I was leaving. This place will never be the same for me again. Though, I hoped that it was gonna be for a good reason. And if so, then I wanted you to know that I'm ready to take you back with me. I don't want to wait any longer to start things. And I know that you don't have a home anymore since you had gotten rid of everything in order to move, so now you'll have one, with me. That is, if you don't mind joining the force again. I mean, you said you wanted us to be partners, so I figure that could be at work, too, right?" She grinned, hoping that he would take the bait.
And he did. "Partners at work, huh? Guess that means we'll be stuck together all the time. I think I could live with that." He leaned his forehead against hers.
"Me too," she said.
"I have something you need to do." Sam pulled back the top half of his body, wanting to see all of Andy's face before he made his request.
Andy raised her eyebrows, silently telling him to 'spill it'.
"I want you to ask me to stay," he kindly commanded her.
"What?" She was now the one being thrown for a loop.
"Like I said before, I want you to know that you're worth the risk. I want you to see what I see. You're an amazing woman, Andy, and you have every right to ask someone to stay for you. Any man asked by you should drop everything for you in a heartbeat, because you deserve that. And if you ask me to stay, I promise you that I'll do everything I can to show you just how special you are. I already know I'm the luckiest man alive." In the last 24 hours, Sam had given more speeches than he probably ever had in his entire life. This girl. Sam was quickly realizing that he would be making a lot of changes for this girl – changes he knew he'd gladly make if it meant he got to keep her.
To say that Andy was stunned at his words was an understatement. This guy. Even though it was an embarrassing moment, it made her recall her accidental blurt to him, wondering where he had come from.
Andy smiled. "Say it again."
Understanding what she meant, he repeated the command. "Ask me to stay."
"Stay." Andy spoke softly, but her voice was tinged with a newfound confidence.
"Ok," he replied.
Her smile grew as she leaned in to kiss him. When their lips touched, it was a strange, but pleasurable, combined feeling of old and new. In one way, it felt like it was something they had been doing their entire lives. In another, it was a feeling they were happily adjusting to. As their lips tenderly danced together in sync, like they themselves had last night, they clung to each other like magnets. Their attraction and bond to one another was already a force to be reckoned with.
A few minutes had passed before they drew back, each out of breath.
Andy, of course, spoke first. "So, you uh, ready to get out of here…with me?"
"Absolutely, McNally," he said, purposefully drawing out the syllables of her name again, as he loved to do. "But about this partners thing in and outside of work…you gonna run off if you get scared?" His tone was slightly teasing, but his question was sincere.
"No." Andy shook her head. "I mean, you'll be there," she shrugged, as if it was common sense.
Sam's mouth dropped a little; he was still in awe by the trust she seemed to have in him since their first meeting.
Taking advantage of his frozen state, Andy giggled and interlocked their fingers. Sam then grabbed her luggage with his other hand, and the two walked down to the lobby, swinging their joined hands. Prior to exiting the hotel, he told Andy to hold on, that he forgot something. She curiously waited to see what he had forgotten. When he returned, she asked him what it was, but he told her she'd find out in a few days. On the way to Toronto, she interrogated him about it, but he still refused to give up his secret.
Three days after arriving home, Andy was sitting on the couch going through some mail. Seeing a yellow envelope from a name she did not recognize, she called Sam into the living room to ask him about it. He confirmed that he knew who the person was and said that she should open it. Holding the DVD in her hands, she still had no clue what it was for. Sam informed her that it was from his buddy at the hotel and that she would finally find out what it was he had forgotten. Considering that her interrogations had not completely stopped since they left the hotel, he assured her that it would make her happy. Popping the DVD into the player, Andy sat back down and saw the most unexpected thing appear on the screen. Her mouth dropped open far enough that she could have easily started drooling. She was in utter disbelief. "How? Why?," she gasped.
He wasn't sure yet if her reaction was positive or not, but went ahead to explain further.
"On our way to the lobby, it crossed my mind that I needed to say bye to my buddy in security, so when I went in there, I asked him if I could get a copy of it. I actually got the idea after we danced, when you said that's how you wanted to remember the night. He told me he would send it after he got a chance to put both days together. I think he got a kick out of watching us both nights." Sam laughed at the idea of him and Andy being entertainment.
"I still just can't believe this. You are something else, Sam Swarek, you know that," Andy grinned.
"I know." His dimples returned at the inflation of his ego.
"C'mere, you." Andy drew Sam to her and kissed him with an intense passion.
After releasing his lips, Andy shared her current thoughts. "I'm so glad we found each other, Sam."
"So am I, McNally." Sam caressed her face and initiated another passion-filled kiss, gently cocooning her in his arms.
While they had both found comfort in a stranger that night at the hotel, it felt more like they had always known each other. They hoped that it would stay that way forever with them – a new love feeling old and an old love feeling new.