AN1- I've rotated 15 Division to be facing Eastern Ave & not on Parliament St - just so that Sam can see the city in front of him.
AN2- This idea has been swimming in my head since September, but surprised no one else has thought of this.
I have the other chapters outlined but not written, so depending on my schedule, I'll get them eventually written.
AN3- I thank Nathy3 and Kitkat201083 for pushing me along. (XOXO to my RBteers!)
AN4- The places mentioned are actually in Toronto.
Disclaimers: I wish I did own RB and its characters but Global/ABC/Thump do but hey I can always dream!
_
Loving the Adventure
Chapter 1 – Long Way Round
Sam exits 15 Division with a heavy sigh. After his brief visit to the hospital to get checked out, his debriefing with Frank and grabbing a couple of items from his locker, Sam slowly walks to his truck parked in the division's lot. While walking, Sam thinks about what he has experienced in the past 36 hours. From the intense highs of having Andy coming over to JD's apartment and waking up with her in his arms, to the unexpected visit from Jamie in the morning (he was definitely grateful that Andy thought quickly on her feet and 'transformed' into her Candace personality from the UC scavenger hunt the week before), and to intense lows of being made and tortured by Jamie, due to the incomplete cover story given to him by one Donovan Boyd and his cover up of the murder of Brennan's family.
Once Oliver and he exited the farmhouse, Sam looked over at Andy standing by the cruiser and breathed a sigh of relief that Andy wasn't made and grateful that they had found him, while he headed to Shaw's cruiser. Oliver called Zoe, while they were heading back to 15 and had asked her to head over to Sam's house and drive his truck down to the station, so he can head home. Sam wanted nothing more than to head home, shower and sleep for a better part of the three weeks of his suspension to let his body heal, but he also wanted to see if Andy was alright. While their unspoken conversation when he was brought out of the house (the one with their eyes) seemed to be enough, he really wanted to actually talk to Andy about what will happen in the upcoming three weeks and to 'them' after their suspensions. Sam, being curious, just wanted to know if she'll give him any tidbits of her plans during her three weeks off and away from the division.
Pausing to say goodbye to his friends and to thank them for rescuing him, he got into his truck and started it. Glad to be not driving his undercover vehicle anymore, he drove around to the front of the division and saw Andy walking out. He pulls up alongside her and asks "So do you want to be normal together?" Andy looks up and says "How are we going to do that?" Sam, since he isn't much of a planner, goes "I dunno, I have no idea". Andy smiles at Sam.
Sam glances at the city lit up in front of him and then back at Andy "I think we can start by having me drive you home. To Traci's place?" Sam asks and then pauses. "I'm guessing you haven't gone to finalize your mortgage yet... with... ummm" Sam trails off unsure what to say next, thinks for a moment and then restarts "uhm... everything that has gone on since Brennan knocked on my door yesterday morning." Andy, looking reluctant, asks "What about our suspensions?" Sam grins and orders Andy to "Just get into the truck. I'm pretty sure Frank will be okay with me just giving you a ride home, since it will practically be inhuman for me to let you walk home in this freezing cold weather." Andy thinks back to their conversation from two nights ago, obviously relieved that Sam isn`t mad at her for screwing up another UC operation and gets into the truck.
Sam has decided that he will drop Andy off at Traci's but doesn't tell her that he is going to take the scenic route there. He is definitely not in a rush to drop her off, since they have nowhere to be in the morning. He drives off, leaving 15 Division behind them, heading westbound on Front St. East. Andy glances around, knowing that Traci's house is in the opposite direction but doesn't say anything, since Sam seemed like he had a plan in his mind. Sam takes her silence as acceptance that she gets what he is trying to do – extend their time together before they are separated again. Sam turns the truck onto Lower Sherbourne St. and heads south towards the lake and Lakeshore Boulevard, being very mindful of avoiding places with bad memories for them (Supernova, where Andy and Kate got shot; Cherry Beach, where they found Leslie, the little boy, the non-kiss between them and where Brennan took Andy to see God's Good Grace; and the West Beach where they went to look for her dad). Sam, content enough with just having her in his truck, Sam stays silent, occasionally glancing over at Andy. Feeling the same way, Andy mirrors his actions. Sam is curious as to what Andy will be up to in the upcoming three weeks, so he looks at Andy in search of any clues she`ll give him in her expressive face, unsure how to start the conversation. Since she was the planning one, he desperately wanted to see what she was going to do in the upcoming idle weeks. After 10 minutes of driving east along Lakeshore Blvd, he parks his truck at Ashbridges Bay Park and shuts off the vehicle.
He looks over at Andy, who seemed to be deep in thought and reaches over to grab her hand with his uninjured one, squeezes her hand and smiles at her, with as many dimples as his face would allow without shooting pain. Andy turns to look at Sam and finally gives him a big smile. Andy leans over and gives Sam a kiss on the lips, very relieved that they had found Sam in time and gives him a long hug. When they separate, Sam finally speaks up, trying to sound casual ``Andy, so what are your plans for the next three weeks?" Andy, nonchalantly, says "I'm going to go deal with my mortgage in two days, and then meeting some friends for drinks that night to celebrate." Sam nods and then asks "Traci and the other rookies?" Andy shakes her head, and then says "With Doreen and JD. We're going to meet at The Rhino at 8pm". Sam shocked speechless, wondering if she just really just said what he thought she said. It takes Sam several seconds to clue in that she is actually asking him to meet her for drinks in two nights' time. Sam, normally the rule-breaker, didn't think that she'll have it in her to do/plan something like this, since they aren't suppose to see nor contact each other during their suspensions. Sam wonders when did Andy start willing to colour outside the lines – Sam figures when she propositioned him at the Alpine Inn was the first time and then the second time was when she agreed to go to his UC apartment on karaoke night at the Penny. After a few silent minutes in the truck, Andy pokes Sam in the chest and says laughingly "Who is the one over-thinking now?" Sam bursts out laughing at Andy's comment and grabs Andy by her jacket drawing her closer to him. He skimmed his nose against hers and then kissed her deeply for a good five minutes before breaking apart for air. Sam smiling at Andy, thoroughly satisfied since he got a glimpse of her plans during their suspensions, turned back towards the steering wheel and started his truck.
Pulling out of the parking lot at Ashbridges Bay Park, he grabbed Andy's left hand with his uninjured right one and gave it a squeeze. The truck cabin was filled with silence, not an awkward silence by any means, but a giddy happy knowing silence. Sam drives them slowly back towards the divisional borders of 15 Division and to Traci's apartment in Cabbagetown. He arrives at Traci's apartment about 15 minutes later, reluctantly uncoupling his hand from Andy's for a second, so he can turn off his truck. He turns back towards Andy, cups her cheek with his right hand, rubbing it with his thumb, and kisses her. "Good Luck with your mortgage," Sam says when they break apart several minutes later. "And don't get into any trouble! Since I won't be there to save you," Sam chuckles. Andy smiles and says "I won't, I promise." Andy turns to open her passenger-side door and while she gets out of the truck, she reaches into the back seat to grab her duffel. Slinging the duffel onto her right shoulder, smiling mischievously and a wink she turns back towards Sam in the driver seat, and says "I guess I'll see you in three weeks." Sam says with a knowing chuckle, "I guess I'll see you around sometime, McNally." Andy closes the truck door, turns around and starts walking towards Nash's apartment, turning her head at the last moment to smile at Sam, before unlocking the main door and walking inside. Sam watches her walk away from him, mumbling "I'm going to miss you and your chatter" to himself and quietly wonders when the closing date of her condo will be, hoping that it will be after their suspensions so that he can help her move. Grinning, Sam looks towards the main door of the apartment once more (Andy long gone inside) and turning back towards the front; he starts his truck and drives home to shower, and to rest his tortured body... Two days will come soon enough, Sam thinks as he drifts off to sleep dreaming off Andy. Sam was very pleased with himself that he took the long way round (to Traci's).
AN: Love it? Hate it? Feedback & reviews are definitely welcome. I promise I won't bite (well too hard...) :) Cheers SG8.
