At the stoplight he looks to his right. Andy has her eyes closed and her head leaning against the window. He watches her and is only able to let his own breath out when he sees her chest rise.
They've both come close way too many times. Both got shot. Both got kidnapped. But never before did he feel like this.
He thinks about the moment he realized Andy was inside the evidence room. He felt his heart beating right through his chest. Felt like it was going at least a thousand a minute. Saw his life flash by. His future life, with Andy in it.
Sam lets out a deep sigh and turns his eyes back on the road.
After today's events he insisted they would go to the hospital. Andy didn't even try to tell him otherwise and when they arrived they were shown to a room immediately.
Andy sat on the bed, her arms hugging her knees. She let her head rest sideways on her arms, content with just looking at Sam.
"You thought I was dead." She murmurs.
"McNally,.." Sam begins.
"I thought I died too. The day you got shot. I mean, seeing you there. On the floor. I just felt life has no meaning if you're not here with me." Andy interrupts, swallowing to get rid of the lump in her throat and blinking away her upcoming tears.
"But I didn't. And you didn't. And we're still here. Together. Okay?" Sam tells her. "Nothing or no one can change that. Ever."
Andy's eyebrows rise. "Ever?"
Sam gets up from his chair and sits with Andy on the bed. He grabs both of her hands, placing a soft kiss on top of them.
"Ever."
He moves one of his hands to her cheek, where a lost tear has found its way.
"When we're 80 years old, we will spend our days in the house we built with our own hands. We will sit in the backyard, maybe tackling and kissing each other, you know, without breaking our hips." Sam grins.
"And our five kids and twenty grandkids will be running around, with countless dogs, playing fetch. And all of our friends will be there. But the most important thing, you and me, we will still be together. And every day I will love you more and more."
-He remembered his conversation with Oliver vividly. Even though it was not the first time he thought about growing old with Andy, it was the first time he had said it out loud.
He felt like he was Atlas and got relieved from having to carry the world. He made a note to himself to tell Andy all about his dreams when he had the chance. To make sure she knows how much he loves her. How she makes him want to be a better man.
And most importantly, how she makes him want everything that life has to offer, with her and only her.-
Andy has her eyebrows against her hairline. She never knew for sure Sam wanted all that.
"I want that too." She whispers, sniffling back some tears.
They softly kiss and Sam moves the hair out of her face, looking her deep in the eye, when Andy suddenly laughs.
"What is it, McNally?" He asks, with a questioning look.
"I'm sorry, but.." Andy puts her hand in front of her mouth, trying not to laugh. She suddenly realized the first part of his story.
"But when I'm 80, you will be close to a 100." She bursts out laughing, in desperate need to stop, since her ribs hurt too much.
"You will be such a grumpy, grouchy, old man." She continues.
"Hey…" Sam interrupts. Andy holds up a hand, trying to catch her breath to get the next part out.
"I will love you even when you're a grumpy, grouchy, old man. And I'm really, really looking forward to
the journey that will get us there."
When the doctor enters they don't even notice him at first. They are holding hands, looking at one another, paying no attention to the world around them. Their bodies are touching everywhere that's possible – and appropriate.
He makes his presence known by clearing his throat, and both Sam and Andy turn their head towards him.
"Alright, Officer McNally. I have good news. Your ribs are not fractured." He starts, causing Andy to let out a deep sigh of relief.
"However, you do have a few ribs that are bruised and I advise you to avoid any activity that may exacerbate those bruises, at least for the upcoming week.
Your ears have also had quite a blow, but nothing appears to be ruptured. You may experience some pain or hearing problems, but this should be gone within a few days.
Do you have any further questions?" The doctor asks, looking at the two of them.
Sam and Andy exchanged a look. "Uh, no, I think we're good. Thank you." Andy tells him.
After he left Andy turned back to Sam again. "Well, that's a nice break."
"You're a pretty damn lucky girl, McNally." Sam stated.
Andy blinks her eyes rapidly in an exaggerated way and tries to give the best smile ever.
"Yes I am." She responds, clearly talking about some other things.
"Take me home?"
"Always." Sam replies, kissing her and offering his hand, ready to get them out of here.
Andy jerks awake when Sam kisses her cheek. She has a scared, confused look on her face.
"Shh. You're okay We're okay." He whispers, tucking her hair away from her face and kissing her lightly on the lips. "Let's go inside."
As Andy realizes where she is she lets out a deep breath and gives him a small smile.
He shuts the engine off and grabs both their bags before walking over to her side. He takes her hand and they slowly walk towards the door.
With one hand occupied holding their bags, and the other holding Andy's, Sam turns his head to her, with an amused look on his face.
"Uh, that key, the one that opens the front door … ?" He begins, with a smirk on his face.
Andy tries to move her hand away from Sam's but he holds on even tighter, unwilling to let her go.
"Unbelievable." Shaking her head, she grabs the key from his pocket with her other hand, making sure to accidently on purpose brush her hand against him.
After a few tries Andy opens the door and walks in the house, tugging Sam with her. Once inside, she puts the keys in her own pocket, which only causes Sam's smile to grow bigger.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm just keeping it so next time we won't have this issue."
"McNally, you know I don't mind when you put your hand down my pants." Sam counters, moving his eyebrows up and down.
"Ugh. Shut up. I need a beer." She responds, flopping down on the couch.
She turns on the TV, ending up on some sort of reality show about a dozen American women fighting for a British guy.
When Sam comes back he puts two beers on the table and drops a can of chocolate ice cream in Andy's lap. He puts himself on the other end, letting Andy's feet rest on his thighs.
"Mmm.. my hero!" Andy moaned, after taking the first mouthful.
"What the hell are we watching?" He asks, taking a sip of his beer.
"I wanna marry Harry." She answers, completely oblivious to the ridiculousness of the show.
Sam almost chokes on his beer. "You want to what?"
"I wanna marry Harry. It's a TV show. They think the guy is a British Prince."
As Sam looks at her incredulously, Andy can't help but laugh. "Alright, alright. There's probably a game on somewhere."
Sam shakes his head and pulls at her legs, willing her to come closer. When she's all cuddled up against his side, he kisses the top of her head. "That's my girl."
As they lay in bed, arms and legs entangled and their breathing synchronized, Sam moves his arm up and down her side.
"I love you, McNally." He whispers softly, tightening his hold around her.
"What?" Andy responds, eyes closed. "My ears, remember?"
"I love you." Sam repeats. A bit louder this time.
Andy lifts her head up from his chest and lets their lips briefly touch. A smile appearing on her face.
"I heard you the first time. Just wanted to hear you say it again.
He shakes his head and his smile matches hers. He doesn't matter how often he has to say it. He'll say it all the time if she wants him to. Every hour. Every minute. Every second.
Sam is just grateful that he still has the chance to do so, every single day.