It seemed as if everyone had the same idea – drinks at the bar, every night. The Midnight Smoke was always the perfect hang out for all the officers and detectives that worked across the street. Tonight had once started out slow, grew to a gathering and before 9 PM it was a full out party.
Officer Andy McNally had been holding down the bar stool since 5 PM. What was supposed to be a long weekend of relaxing miles away from here, has now turned into a 72 hour pity session. It was just yesterday that she watched her fiancé rekindle his love for Jo D. Luke and Jo had been long time friends, ex-lovers and both detectives from separate divisions. But the shooting at the theatre had brought Jo over to help solve the case. This sent Luke all over town investigating the shooting with her. Luke and Jo had hooked up when they both thought Andy was at work.
With no plans insight and an apartment within walking distance, Andy made herself at home with a bottle of whisky. She noticed that the other rookies were filling in at the other end of the bar and the veterans were making their presence known throughout the bar – including Luke and Jo. Andy thought this may be a good time to leave.
"McNally!" Sam yelled as he made his way over to her barstool. "Fancy meeting you here. Whatcha drinkin'?" Sam joked as he sat down next to Andy. Sam had been Andy's training officer for the last three months and they are permanent partners now. Sam and Andy had an instant connection, a bond like no other two officers had. Andy had once thought she had feelings for Sam, but shot them down because training officers were off limits.
"I'm not drinking anything anymore." Andy slammed the last shot of whisky down, chased it with the coke in her plastic cup, slamming it down the on the bar. "Bill please!"
"How much have you had to drink?" Sam asked seriously checking out the empty bottle.
"Just a bit." Andy laughed as she laid her money down under the receipt. "Randy – keep the change!"
"Thanks Andy." Randy came over to collect the bills. He watched as Andy walked through the old wood doors and into the night. "Hey Sam," Randy high fived him. "Does Andy live nearby or is she meeting up with someone?"
"No. Not that I know of." Sam looked at Randy quizzically. "Why?"
"I don't know how drunk she is, but she killed over half the fifth of Jack in the last 3 hours. I could only get her to eat some fries. I'm not sure what's going on with her, but she did some serious drinking tonight."
"Yeah, I have a feeling I know what's wrong." Sam said as he hopped off the seat. "I'll catch you later."
Andy breathed in the cold crisp air quickly. She jogged down the steps to the sidewalk and looked both ways before turning to her right and heading further into town. She only stopped momentarily to catch her breath.
Sam could see her down the sidewalk, leaning against the brick wall of a building. He walked over to her quickly, calling out to her, as he got closer.
"Sam," Andy looked up at the dark figure in front of her. "What- What are you doing? Everyone is still at the bar. You should be having fun."
"You left in such a hurry. Where are you headed?" Sam looked in the direction she was heading, then back down the opposite way. "Don't you live over on Burntside?"
"I can't go back there. Not tonight." Andy looked down. "Maybe tomorrow afternoon. Or the day after that." And looked down at the ground, playing with the edge of the broken sidewalk. "But I can't tonight." She shook her head to affirm her decision.
"Okay," Sam looked confused. "So then… where are you going?"
"Um. I'm not sure yet." Andy looked at Sam, the street lights lit up her face and for the first time tonight he could see the hurt in her eyes. "There is a hotel up there right?" Andy pointed in the direction she was heading.
"Sure, yeah. There should be something down there." Sam weighed his options in his head. He was not going to let her stay at some hotel alone right now. She was in no way capable of finding a hotel and checking in.
"I won't keep you." Andy brushed past Sam so quickly that she bumped into his side, hitting his shoulder with hers.
"McNally." Sam grabbed her arm tightly. She whipped around and looked into his eyes, so deeply he was waiting for the fire to rage around them. Her dark brown hair was coming loose from the bun that was once tightly bound for her shift.
"Sam." She retorted. He looked so good in the night and the flourcent lights from bar signs reflecting in his eyes. Colors danced across his face. She couldn't tell if he was angry or concerned.
"You're drunk. Let me take you home." Sam put his arm around her shoulders to guide her the way she came.
"I just told you, I'm not going there. Tonight is not a good idea."
"Well, let's just go get some stuff from your place and then I'll take you to a hotel or you can stay with me."
"What part of not tonight did you not understand?" Andy laughed sarcastically and threw her head back while the laughter escaped her mouth. She was being over dramatic, but she could blame that on the Jack Daniels sloshing around in her stomach.
"How much did you drink?" Sam asked leading her back down the sidewalk. At least she is not fighting me right now. Just keep the subject light. He thought as he approached the bar parking lot.
"Oh I don't know." Andy said loudly before moving her hands around to try and measure the amount she drank. "But don't worry, I'm okay, I'm going to be fine."
"Whatever you say, McNally." Sam laughed as he helped he into the passenger seat of his silver truck. He quickly walked around to the other side to climb in himself. He started his engine and began the drive over to Andy's house that she shared with Luke. To Sam's knowledge, this was her current and only place of residence. She sold her apartment when she moved in with Luke about three months ago.
"Where are we going?" Andy asked after moments of silence. They were passing familiar streets now, Andy would know if she was paying attention to the road. Instead she found entertainment by playing with the buttons on the door.
"Your place." Sam said slowly as he stole a glance over. "And then we find some place for you to stay until you are sober enough to figure things out."
"My place?" Andy questioned, freezing the window half way up. "Sam," Her voice trailed off as she looked out the window. They were just a few houses away from the one she shared with Luke.
"Did you and Luke get in a fight?" Sam asked.
"Um." Andy breathed in deeply and let it out slowly. The contents of her stomach were suddenly not as appreciated as they were a few hours ago. "Look, I've had about eight or nine shots so maybe it would be better if you just dropped me off at the hospital. Let me sleep it off there."
"Just go inside McNally, grab some clothes for tonight and a toothbrush." Sam was starting to loose his patients with her. It was getting close to midnight and he still had another 15 minute drive home. Not to mention getting Andy up to his apartment and on the couch.
"Can you do it?" Andy looked helplessly at him. "Please?"
"Now, McNally!" Sam raised his voice, which sounded louder to Andy that it really was. She could she the frustration in his eyes and knew that she was going to face these demons alone.
Andy stopped at the door – starring at the massive size and paint color. Even this shade of brown was bright to her. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and turned the door handle. She pushed her way into the living room, which was still dark. She prayed that maybe Luke was at the office still or at the bar. She could barely make out the objects and furniture as she navigated to the steps. She felt like she was put on a dare to break into the neighbor's home and steal something. She took the stairs one at a time, until she reached the second floor. Her head starting pounding to the same ryhtem of her heart which was loud, obnoxious and out of control. She was about to open the bedroom door, the key to everything Sam asked her to get when she heard laughter. She suddenly noticed the light the pooled out beneath the door on the white carpet. It made her black boots look dirty and scuffed. She knew what was happening behind this door, but her drunken state allowed for her to push past nervous and step right into angry.
Sam leaned back against his seat and closed his eyes. At this rate, he'd be lucky to get in bed by one. This had been a long Friday and he couldn't wait to get home to relax and not worry about the streets or his job for a few days. He wasn't upset that Andy was joining him, in fact he was more than happy that she was allowing him to take her to his place. But he still wondered what was going on between Luke and Andy. Sam tried to recall her behavior this past week – which seemed to be normal until yesterday. Something must have happened to change her mood. Sam usually knew his partner inside and out, but this was throwing him for a loop. She was distant, cold, annoyed, and bitchy all day. And now she was more drunk than he's ever seen her and talking about staying in hotels.
"Someone want to tell me what the fuck is she doing here?!" Andy yelled. Causing Luke and Jo to look at her standing in the doorway. Both Luke and Jo were laying in the bed, Luke half undressed, Jo was in a skimpy black langera outfit and candles were decorating every flat surface possible.
"Andy?" Luke asked, dumbfunded. "What? I thought…"
"Well you thought wrong." Andy interrupted him. "So I guess it wasn't just a one night thing, like you promised." Andy did a motion with her hands signifying that promsed was quoted. "And it looks like the dumb bitch can't keep her pants on…"
"Let's talk about this…" Luke got up and walked over to Andy.
"Oh yeah?" Andy mocked in a sarcastic voice. She was on fire tonight – figuratively and literally. She could feel the heat pouring from her face and she wondered how badly she was blushing. "Let's talk about how you asked me to marry you and then you can't keep your dick out of some whore."
"McNally," Jo started to say as she walked over to her in the doorway. "I know you are upset, but both Luke and I don't deserve this kind of language."
"Are you going to write me up? Hmmm?" Andy laughed. "Because when you do, make sure you put in there that you are a whore and you slept with a man who is engaged to be married!"
"Stop calling her a whore!" Luke chimed in. He was trying to put on his jeans and was struggling with the zipper. "I asked her to be here."
"Oh. Did he ask if he could put his dick in your vagina?!" Andy screamed at Jo.
"At least he was getting to put it somewhere!" Jo screamed back. Jo was many things, but she had a low tolerance for Andy right now. Luke was surprised by her sudden outburst. He didn't think Jo would repeat that to anyone, he knew that his sex life with Andy was difficult and complicated at times but he accepted that. Andy looked at Luke with pain in her eyes. She suddenly looked around the room, their room that they had decorated and spent an entire afternoon creating, and she noticed the rose petals and the candles, she noticed the silk sheets and the music that softly filled the room from the corner stereo. Luke had gone through so much trouble for one night with Jo. He never did this much for Andy. In fact, he never did anything for Andy. She looked back at Jo who was still starring at Andy with a smirk on her face.
"You know what?" Andy said, looking at both of them one more time. "Go to hell." She locked eyes with Jo and quickly pulled her fist back and made contact. She must not have known her own strength when she was drunk because it knocked the blonde detective to the ground. Jo's hand flew up to her face and touched her nose to find blood.
"You son of a bitch…" Jo got up towards Andy. Luke was able to step in between them before Jo got to the rookie cop. He grabbed Andy's upper arm and held on to her tightly but turned his attention to Jo.
"Let me handle this, alright?" Luke looked at Jo with a passion and a deep care. He never looked at Andy like that.
"Alright." Jo said, locking her eyes on Andy who was smirking now. "But one last thing, McNally, before you go," Jo had her own smile crawling into place. She slinked between Luke and Andy.
"And what's that Jo, that you gladly accept my sloppy seconds? Well have-" Andy felt the connection of Jo's first in her lower stomach. She doubled over in pain, keeping her eyes on Jo. She felt the liquor turn and then pain lingered longer than she was expecting. Andy suddenly was acting, she wasn't thinking, she just started kicking and clawing her way at Jo.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Luke dragged Andy into the hallway and closed the bedroom door. "Seriously, Andy, what the fuck?"
"Oh? What the fuck to you? This is OUR home, that's OUR bed. What's she doing in it and what is she doing wearing my langera and using my pillow and…"
"Alright, I get your point. This isn't the time or place for this." Luke breathed out heavily.
"Then when is? Hmmm? Because I've been bending over backwards and letting this whole situation fuck me in the ass since Tuesday. So you tell me when is a good time for you?"
"Jesus Andy. Just get out of here. You can come by later when I'm at work and gather your things." Luke ran a hand over his face.
"I'll be sure to send you a bill for the things the whore has ruined." Andy laughed at her ability to create witty comebacks. Her glory was soon silenced by the slap of his hand across her face. Startled, she looked up at him and covered her cheek with her hand.
"I told you to get the fuck out." Luke grabbed her arm once again and dragged her down the stairs quicker than she was able to keep up. This caused her to trip down a few stairs, pinching a nerve or muscle in her foot. Andy grimaced at the pain she felt when she tried to walk on it to get to the door. "I don't want to see your face again. I'll have someone dropped a box of your things off at work."
Andy tried to speak, but nothing came out of her mouth, she just stood there in disbelief that this was a man she almost married. Luke unlocked the door and pushed her out, slamming the door viciously behind him.
Sam wasn't paying attention when Andy stumbled out of the front door holding her stomach in much pain. She managed to get down the steps before she stopped and started to empty out her stomach on the sidewalk. She was successful in covering the top of her shoes and most of her jeans with vomit. After a moment to regain her strength, she stood up completely and looked towards the street. Her stomach still rumbled with the pain of the blow. Her ankle seemed to have healed on its own after she made it to her spot on the sidewalk. Suddenly she remembered Sam was waiting for her. She wiped her mouth on the shoulder of her shirtsleeve and started to walk towards him.
"McNally, can't hold your liquor?" Sam spoke loud enough for her to hear as he climbed out of his truck. "Or do something as simple as getting a change of clothes."
"I told you, not tonight." Andy was holding back tears, but a few had escaped when she threw up. Sam noticed the sudden change in attitude. Before she had gone inside the house Andy was almost angry and bitchy, but now he saw someone entirely different before him.
"What the hell happened?" Sam questioned as he helped her into the passenger side, making sure that the vomit didn't get all over the seats or interior.
"Just get me to a hotel." She slammed her door. Sam stood puzzled – Andy the bitch was never far behind. But still, he never thought of Andy as a completed bitch, just more of a hard-ass, doesn't take any shit bitch.
"Andy," Sam said as he climbed back in on his own side. "I'm taking you to my place." Sam was determined to get to the bottom of this. He knew that Luke was responsible for whatever happened – since Tuesday Andy had been upset about something.
Sam couldn't deny his feelings for her, but he wondered how obvious they could be to her. Everyone else knew that they had a different kind of chemistry, a reaction to one another. Sam knew that Luke was her choice from the beginning, so he didn't want to do anything to act on those feelings.
The car ride was silenced by the night. Sam had rolled down his window to help with the smell of her vomit that was still all over her pants and shoes. Andy made no attempt to help the smell disappear or lessen. She didn't move a single muscle; partially because they all ached and throbbed. She replayed the whole scene in her mind - because that's what cops did. She made mental notes of things that she could've said or done differently. But the one thing that remained so vivid in her mind was the way Luke treated Jo. But they have history together. She argued with herself in her thoughts; debates really, over which consciousness was true and which was wrong.
The second that the truck stopped moving she snapped out of her debate. Looking around, she realized they were not at a hotel, but parked right outside of Sam's apartment complex. She remembered the landmarks around his place, the smells, the way the sun shined perfectly through the trees to heat up his building. Andy had been here once before, when Sam had dropped her off along with a few other rookies and co-workers for game night at his place. That was a happy night, a happy time for her. Now sadness completely washed over her body, she wondered if this night would ruin her mental image of Sam's apartment. She reluctantly followed him inside, up two flights of stairs, through half a dozen hallways until they reached a door with the numbers 3490 on it. If she remembered correctly, the bathroom wasn't to far from the front door of his place.
"Listen," Sam unlocked the door and flicked on the lights. He threw his jacket down and closed the door once she was inside. "Let's get you showered and in some clean clothes. Are you hungry? Can you eat?" Sam asked walking around to face her. Andy stood still, in the middle of his living room, starring at the kitchen up ahead. Sam followed her gaze and then looked back at her and studied her. He couldn't tell if she was in shock or if she was still drunk. She swayed a little bit, but caught herself before falling over or crashing into the coffee table. For the first time Sam noticed her hands shaking, the dried blood around her knuckles, the red spot that decorated half of her face.
"Sam?" She asked into the space between them. "I-um…" Andy looked up, she looked into Sam's eyes. Her partner. Sam. He was standing right in front of her, studying her face and actions. His eyes had so much concern in them.
"Lets get a shower going. Come on," Sam put his hand on the small of her back, guiding her to his bathroom.
Andy stood in Sam's bathroom staring at the bathtub. Andy knew that a hot shower would make her feel so much better, but she just couldn't bring her muscle to move. After a few moments of thinking and realizing where she was, she brought herself to turn on the water. Sam was kind enough to bring her here to sober up; she may as well take advantage of that. She stripped down, leaving her clothes in a pile on the floor.
Sam rummaged through his drawers for something comfortable to wear, but small enough to fit Andy's petite body. When he came up with a pair of sweatpants and an old shirt, he folded them up into a neat pile and set them on the bed with a clean towel. He picked up his room a bit and quickly changed himself before grabbing the change of clothes and towel.
Andy stood motionless in the shower until she heard a faint knocking on the door. She quickly turned to face the wall and instinctively covered up her chest, even though the dark shower curtain hid her entire body from view.
"Yes?" She asked quietly.
"I just brought you some clothes if you want. They may be more comfortable than your jeans. And there is a clean towel on the sink for you."
"Oh-okay. Thanks." Andy didn't turn away from the wall, she just starred at the molding running across the ceiling.
"do you wanna talk at all?" sam asked hesitantly, almost afraid of her answer.
"talk?" Andy nervously combed her hair behind her ears, her eyes scoured the room to try and focus on anything but him. "do you want to?"
"I just thought it might help."
"yeah. It might. Um," Andy found her focus point where the floor met the wall. "what do you want to know?"
"well, what happened tonight?" sam asked, not wanting to push her, but he knew she was still feeling the alcohol in her body.
"see," Andy chuckled, "tonight was like icing on the cake; it was just what I wanted." Andy made her way past him and sat down at the edge of he couch. "tonight," she paused, playing with the hem of his oversized shirt. "tonight I decided that I needed a break from it. Partially because I didn't want to believe it was true. But j guess now I know."
"know what?" sam moved to sit next to her.
"please tell me you honestly don't know."
"I really don't..." sam searched her face for answers. Her dark brown hair, still wet and damp from her shower hung freely around her shoulders.
"okay. Now I look like a fool." Andy looked away for a moment before locking eyes with sam. "he's cheating on me with her. I have known this for a few weeks now, but wasn't sure how to really go about this. I mean, I live with him and don't really have my own place at all so jumping the gun could really mess things up for me. So anyway, I didn't say shit to anyone, but now it's like she stalks me and haunts me. She is everywhere at the office, she is at my home with Luke, she is at the bar and at every place around town." Andy was pacing back and forth in his living room now letting it all out. She had never let herself even think this many thoughts on the subject before, let alone speak them out loud.
"are we talking about Jo?" sam asked slightly catching kn. He was watching his former rookie ramble on with incoherent thoughts.
All Andy did was nod her head, stop pacing and hold up a finger, "we don't say her name."
"got it." sam tried to hide his smile. She was acting like a crazy teenager.
"so anyway, I decided to test my theory, which I knew was true, but still needed to test it. I told Luke that I was going to be late on a case with Tracey and that I wouldn't be home til closer to midnight, and I would probably stay over at tracey's place for a girls night. Basically, I faked a call from oliver's desk to her phone and I heard him in the background talking. Then when I called him, he said he went to his brother's place for dinner. I ended up going to the bar because I realized all along I was right."
"how do you know you were right?" sam asked, unaware of the facts.
"first of all, she answers a call from Oliver at 10pm - proof that she was too busy to pay attention to who called. Second, he doesn't have a brother, just a sister who lives in California." Andy slumped down next to sam. "I thought maybe if I got drink enough, I could sleep off the facts and forget it in the morning. Hence the bar and hotel, I knew they'd be at the house."
"Andy," sam started to say as he turned into her.
"that's why j didn't wanna go back to the house. I found them together in our bed. He had candles and flowers everywhere for her, music and I bet chocolate. I tried to punch her; Luke smacked me and dragged me downstairs and ripped me a new one. Jo punched me as hard as her could in the stomach." by now Andy was crying. Rememberig all the words that were said toward her and the way everything unfolded. It made her want to curl into a ball and die.
"I'm not going to say much right noe, I am so beyond pissed off with him. We wi take care of this in the morning."
Andy nodded as a new floodbof tears fell down. Sam pulled Andy into his embrace and held her there. "I'm sorry." she murmured n to his shoulder.
"he doesn't deserve you. You should he treated much more better, understand? Don't let this bother you okay? Your amazing and perfect." sam rubbed his hand up and down her back."
"okay." Andy said through tears.
I'm going to set you up in the spare bedroom. Sam said, leading her doen the hall. The soft carpet filled the space between her toes. The room was lit dimly by a small table lamp next to the bww. Andy focused on the bed. She wouldn't admit to it, but she was tired. Her musfles still ached from het meeting with Luke and Jo.
Do you want some water? Anything? Sam asked as Andy sat on the bed.
Some water is good. Andy mummbled. Sam left the room and headed to the kitchen. While hr was gone, Andy took in the spare room. It was painted a dull light blue, with white molding, the same carpet had followed her all the way to the bedroom. There was a dresser, pretty small, but it would do the job. There was a reclining chair in one corner or the room that faced the bed and a door wall to a small patio. Andy pullled back the heavy fomfoter and sheets, crawled into her little fafoon and laid her head on the pillow. Sam softly knofked on the door before walking in. He saw andys small frame wrapped in the blankets and safetly nestled in the bed. He walked around to her bedside table and set the glass of water down, he took one look at his partner and his heart melted.
"I'm going to be right across the hall in you need me. Feel free to come get me any time for anything." he rubbed her shoulder and made sure she was tucked in tightly before turning off the light and pulling the door almost closed.