Set during To Serve and Protect.
Author's Note: Awesome episode, just one thing missing. Hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I do not own Rookie Blue.
Andy stood in the shower and let the warm water wash over her. She let it literally and figuratively wash the day away.
When the water turned cold she turned if off and wrapped herself in a towel. She dried off and quickly changed, gathering her things in the process.
Exiting the locker room, she knew she should head for Luke's office. He was there waiting for her, waiting for her to explain.
Instead, she turned and headed in the opposite direction down the hallway.
She knew he probably wasn't still there, knew he'd probably already gone to the Penny, but she couldn't help but check.
Quietly she pushed open the door to the men's locker room and poked her head inside.
He was there alone, sitting on the bench in front of his locker with his head in his hands. He was wearing his civvies, the familiar t-shirt and jeans, and his hair was still wet from the shower she knew he had taken.
"Sam," she called hesitantly, getting his attention. Her voice surprised him, and his head shot up.
She noticed that his eyes were red, bloodshot. Not red like he had been crying but red like he was tired, like he'd had a hell of a day.
"McNally," he said, smiling at her and standing up from the bench. "What are you still doing here?"
It was the smile that killed her. The patient, the enduring, the… loving smile.
Without a word she crossed the floor quickly and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.
Stunned, it took him a moment to respond, to wrap his arms around her as well.
Andy could feel the way he had hesitated at first, but then he pulled her towards him, tucking her head beneath his chin and cradling her against him.
She held on to him, gripping the back of his t-shirt, and finally allowed the tears to fall. He didn't try and stop her, he just held her and ran a warm hand up and down her back, calming her with his presence.
If someone had asked her why she was crying, she wouldn't have been able to tell them specifically.
She was crying for her dad. For the anger she felt towards him and for how sad that made her.
She was crying in relief for how the day had turned out, after so much frustration and fear.
And though she wouldn't admit it, she was crying because she had chosen Luke, and that meant giving up Sam.
Sam, would had pulled her away when she didn't want to explain to Luke why her dad couldn't help with the investigation. Sam, who she could tell about her dad's bingers without fear of judgment. Sam, who had taken control of the situation when she had no clue what to do. Sam, who had been there for her and with her every step of the day.
"Thank you," she whispered against his chest, her voice cracking with emotion. The two words seemed so inadequate to express the gratitude she felt, but there was nothing else she could say. Nothing else she would allow herself to say.
She could feel him nodding, could feel his arms tighten around her. "Of course, Andy."
Neither made any attempt to move from the embrace, both content to have the stolen moment.
Eventually she spoke. "I've got to go," she said, though she didn't move. "Luke's waiting for me."
Sam sighed and she felt him place a soft kiss on the top of her head before pulling away. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said, wiping the tears from her cheeks with the rough pad of his thumb.
"Goodnight," she said, backing away but not turning from him, not just yet.
One side of his mouth crooked into a sad grin. "Goodnight."