A/N: Found this story on my hard drive, can't believe I'd forgotten all about it ... :) It deals with 3.06 and Andy's feelings about Claire's reappearance in her life - written from Andy's POV but with lots of McSwarek of course ;)

Hope you enjoy, and I'd love me some thoughts / feedback :)

MESSY

It's well past midnight; Andy is sitting alone in her apartment contemplating whether or not to press play on the remote control cradled in her hand. Perched on top of the coffee table are six white DVD boxes - the disc sitting in the machine awaiting her push on the button is labeled 'Andy's first steps'.

Something is keeping her from pressing that button; Andy however can't put her finger on what it is. Maybe it's the stress of the day with everything that went down with Izzy Shaw, maybe it's her fight with Sam at the Division or maybe it's just the fact that after having yearned for her mother for fifteen long excruciating years, she's back. Her mother is back.

Claire had just shown up on her doorstep earlier today. Andy had answered the door, her face covered in frosting; completely Sam's fault by the way. But she can't really play the injured party here since seconds before the knock on the door; she had thrown a fistful of flour at him.

Talking about the housewarming party with Claire had made Andy realize that she hadn't invited her. Should she have? Would Claire even come – or would she bow out at the very last minute? Claire had offered to help with the food and stuff, but being put on the spot like that had been unnerving for Andy. When she had looked to Sam for support he had just stared right back at her. 'What a boyfriend'. That was the exact moment when Claire had pulled the DVD's out of her bag handing them to Andy with a very clear message.

"I thought you might like these. They're home movies of when you were little. I got them transferred to DVD."

Holding those DVD's in her hands something revealed itself to Andy – her mother was trying, so maybe she should too? That's how Andy ended up asking her if she would mind helping out with the party, and Claire had smiled in reply. Andy chose to see it as an opening. True, they had gone for coffee a couple of times in the past month, but if she were to be completely honest – then she wanted more. She wanted her mother in her life.

But can she trust Claire? Trust her to not vanish into thin air again? Trust her to stay around when she didn't fifteen years ago? That's the real question, and a question Andy can't phantom an answer to.

The minute Claire left that morning; Andy had immediately sensed Sam's ambivalence towards her. She knows he's anything but okay with her giving Claire a spare key to her condo. He doesn't even have one, and as he had pointed out

"How long has she been back in your life?"

"Uhm, four weeks."

"Oh good, I thought you barely knew each other."

Andy knows Sam is just trying to protect her – look out for her, make sure she doesn't get hurt, but the way he went about it still hurts.

As if finding Shaw's daughter at the scene wasn't bad enough or being chewed out by him for helping his daughter. Then she finds out that Sam has – behind her back mind you – looked into Claire's life.

Jerk.

Only he isn't, but God to find out like that in the middle of the squad room in front of Izzy and Becca. It's not even like he found some incriminating evidence on her. A few speeding tickets, some debt and when to buy her a birthday present. But that's not even what hurts, what hurts, is the fact that he didn't tell her. They're supposed to be building a relationship here, not going behind each other's backs like this.

Suddenly they're thrust into a search for Izzy because apparently she skipped out when she got home, so they head per Jerry's instructions to a drug dealer's apartment where they find Oliver's squad parked out in front.

Holy crapola!

When they enter the apartment they find Izzy; crying and bleeding sobbing that her dad is in the other room with this TK guy. Both Sam and Andy try to get through to Oliver, but he's unwavering that he doesn't need any help. It isn't until TK yells that Oliver has a gun on him that Sam breaks through the door, and Andy finds herself watching her former training officer threatening a lowlife drug dealer with his gun.

Sam is calm – like always. He's telling Oliver what he needs to hear – that we have his back, and that no matter what happens we'll walk out of there together – but it isn't until Izzy asks him to stop that Oliver is snapped out of his dark thoughts.

What she saw today scares her, it confounds her that if someone as calm as Oliver can be pushed to that – so can she. She's seen her father heading down that road and now Oliver – two men she immensely admires. With their combined knowledge, diligence and experience – it staggers Andy to know that she is perhaps only two or three steps shy of heading out onto that ledge herself.

Back at the Division, in the locker room, Andy is lacing up her boots when she sees Sam strolling towards her – with the file on Claire in hand. She's still mad at him, like throwing-things-at-his-head mad, but things with Oliver and Izzy have given her pause. That maybe – Sam is just looking out for her – like he looked out for Oliver today.

"So is that what this was? You were just backing me up?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. I didn't find anything."

"That's not the point! I can't even believe you did that! Behind my back! Over something that really doesn't concern you!"

"She finds herself back in your life – by accident – and now she wants to be a part of your life? I'd hate to see her break your heart again."

"You know, I don't need you weighing in on everything."

"Andy, you said you liked messy. Well, this is me, messy, okay? I made a mistake. I went about it the wrong way. I'd like to give you a ride home."

"Well, I guess it beats taking the trust-mobile."

"That's the last of it!" Sam exclaims clapping his hands together after having returned from taking the trash out. Andy looks up at him, as he slams the door shut behind him with his foot – stopping him in his tracks. "What?" he asks with a crooked smile – that only he can pull off after the day they've both had.

"Nothing," she tells him shaking her head willing her thoughts to go on standby, but being that her name is Andrea McNally - that's a losing battle.

"Andy," he drawls out her name walking to the couch. She looks up at him knowing that if they start this conversation the dam will burst, and today has been challenging enough as it is. "What is it?" he asks sitting down next to her on the couch.

"It's just been one of those days, you know?" she tries for a detached demeanor, but Sam isn't buying it, she can tell. His head is tilted sideways, regarding her, his eyes are narrowed and his lips are set in a straight line. All the makings of a deep discussion that Andy really doesn't have the energy for.

"Yeah, I do. I was there," Sam says sporting a small smile on his lips. God,does he have to be obtuse now? Tonight of all nights? Apparently, because he doesn't say anything else. So, the ball is in Andy's proverbial court now.

"Sam," she's fidgeting with her fingers – a nervous tell – and if he was at all comfortable with this talk he'd call her out on it, but he doesn't. Of course he doesn't.

"Andy, listen," he starts. She's caught off guard when he grabs her fidgeting fingers in his strong grasp. He holds Andy's hands between his, stroking his thumbs across her knuckles. A comforting touch actually. "If this is about the file on your mom…" he adds, but she quickly cuts him off.

"No, it isn't." She assures him as he looks into her eyes. "Well, it is, but it isn't," she's babbling, she knows that, and Sam does too apparently, because his eyebrows are doing that thing that they do when Andy's not making any sense at all, like right now for instance.

"Explanation needed," he smirks narrowing his eyes at her.

"Okay," Andy breathes a sigh of relief mixed in with a few giggles. "Today started out great, Sam, with our food fight." She mirrors his smirk at the mention of their morning fun before continuing, "but then suddenly we're thrown into an illegal party mixed with a dose of the Shaw family debacles, which are then mixed with that file folder." She can sense his apprehension by the mention of the file on Claire, and she doesn't mean to keep on hounding him about that, she really doesn't, but God – it's like it's a never-ending rollercoaster with them.

"Andy," he sighs releasing her hands from his strong grasp to rub at his face. Suddenly she's missing the warmth of his hands. "I thought you understood why I did that?" he asks her, and Andy places her hands on his thigh to make up for the sudden chill in her body.

"I did, I do. But it's not only that. There's everything with Oliver and Izzy…what?" she asks when he's sporting this ridiculous grin that usually makes her legs go wobbly.

"Just something Izzy said earlier today," he tells Andy shaking his head at the memory.

"What did she say?" she asks with interest.

"Wow, epic fail, Uncle Sammy."

"Izzy said that? Smart girl," Andy muses earning an exasperated mock glare from him. She still can't get over Izzy calling him 'Uncle Sammy' – how utterly fitting.

"She's a pain," he counters with a raised eyebrow. From what little she knows of Sam's friendship with Oliver then it's been long withstanding. Sam cares deeply about all of Oliver's kids – Izzy in particular though – since he's her Godfather.

"She's a teenager," she tells him matter-of-factly.

"My point exactly," he deadpans with a smirk.

"Nice one, Swarek," she punches him lightly on the arm before heading towards the kitchen. Andy stops in her tracks when she notices that there's still proof of their food fight earlier – scraps of flour still lying in the corners of the kitchen floor as well as flakes of flour still on the kitchen countertop – despite the fact that Sam had vigorously cleaned the kitchen before heading to work.

"What is it?" Sam asks joining her in the kitchen. She slides her index finger through the left-behind flour before turning around and running her finger down his cheek. "Oh no, you didn't?" he asks her open mouthed with wide eyes.

"You wanna play?" Andy repeats her earlier question unable to hide the smile on her lips.

"Oh yeah, but I have something else in mind," he quirks an eyebrow before turning on his heel and opening the fridge. Andy watches mesmerized as he pulls out a can of whipped cream – shaking it – as he closes the fridge before turning around to face her once again.

"What are you going to do with that?" she asks him chewing on her bottom lip.

Sam corners her at the countertop placing his hands on either side of her body. One arm travels down to Andy's lower back and brings her body flush against his in one swift move eliciting a squeal of delight from her. His nose touches hers before his mouth graces Andy's. "You up for this, McNally?" he asks in a husky tone of voice that holds promises of intimacy, sensations and their first night off in what seems like ages.

Her mouth is dry – like desert dry. It's been so long – well, it feels like it has. Dating and then also being co-workers is a fine line to walk. And Sam is, well he's Sam. It's just different now, and Andy knows there's no way in hell she's going to say no – despite the fact that she's been mad at him for most of the evening.

"Ah!" Andy yelps when something cold makes contact with her throat. She's in shock – not to mention covered in whipped cream. She narrows her eyes at Sam, but he just shrugs.

"I'll get that for you," he grins. He closes his mouth over her throat and uses his tongue to lap up the whipped cream. She closes her eyes at the sensations running through her body.

Wauw

"Playful enough for you, McNally?" Sam chuckles when Andy finally opens her eyes swallowing thickly. He knows exactly what it does to her when he kisses her throat, and he's enjoying how flustered she is right in this moment.

"I'll say," she breathes grabbing the hem of his tee shirt yanking it up his torso. Getting Andy's drift he lifts his arms helping her in discarding him of his shirt. "Give me," she orders him and surprisingly Sam hands over the can with no objections at all. He does however make her shriek in surprise when he grabs Andy around the waist and hoists her onto the counter top.

"Yeah, much better," he nods his head appraisingly moving in-between her opened legs. He tucks her hair behind her ears so it cascades down her back. Andy wraps her legs around his waist resting right above his perfectly shaped behind.

His gaze is dark - smoldering hot brown pools look into Andy's. She swallows heavily running her free hand down his rippled chest – fingering his chest hairs. Without warning she presses the mechanism on the can and Sam is taken aback by the chill that meets his warm collarbone. She smiles wickedly at him before fastening her lips on his warm skin licking up the whipped cream.

Andy feels his fingers intertwining in her hair and the vibrations move to her groin eliciting a moan from deep within her. She lets him tilt her head up until she's looking into his flaming gaze.

"Good?" he asks pressing his forehead against hers.

"Insatiable," Andy grins as she presses her lips against his. She feels his mouth opening over hers and he thrusts his tongue into Andy's mouth. It takes her less than a nanosecond to reciprocate. She wraps her arms around his neck as their tongues stroke each other.

"I want you," Sam sighs breaking away from their intimate haze.

"Me too," she tells him unable to form more than two words considering the high she's just been on.

"Bedroom?" he asks as if he needs her permission. If Andy wasn't this caught up in him and the effects he has on her, she'd probably laugh out loud.

"Bedroom," Andy nods her head in agreement as he grabs her under her thighs, lifting her – encouraging Andy to keep her legs wrapped around his waist, carrying her in the direction of the bedroom. The last thing that enters Andy's mind on that short trip is that there's a lot to be said for making up.