I love this fic. A lot. I wrote it today on the way to and back from my cousin's birthday party and finished it up when we got home. I'm slowly warming up to Luke Callaghan and this made me like him a lot more. You kinda have to like your character ;) Anywho, enjoy!
It was almost ten o'clock when he called her. He had talked to her about two hours earlier, seen the despair and terror in those bottomless brown eyes of hers. She had lied and said she was fine. Just like any other rookie would. She doesn't open up to people very often and in those rare moments that she does… it's never anything of consequence. He decided to let her have her space because she'd let him comfort her another night. That's pretty much how it always went.
He hung up when she didn't immediately answer, slightly confused and disappointed. Andy always answered on the first ring. Maybe she had just gone to bed like she said she would and didn't hear the phone. He tried her cell instead. Still no answer. He should have had an inkling of doubt or worry then. That should have been the first clue. But the case was big and he was already here. The next morning, he decided, she would get breakfast in bed and some of his world famous hot chocolate. An apology for not being there when she needed him most. If anything, he hoped she at least called Traci. Luke liked Traci and the way she could always cheer Andy up or at least distract her. They made a good team.
The next day, one of the days Andy had off after the shooting, there was something… off about her TO. Smug but not in the usual Sam Swarek way. A little bit frustrated but again not in the usual Sam Swarek way. Like he had won a prize but then found out he had to pay for it. The whole day Sam avoided Luke, but that wasn't very unusual. They had never really gotten along, even before Andy started at 15 Division. They had had a pretty bad argument back in the academy involving some girl and ever since things haven't been quite.
But as he looked into Andy's freezer while she chattered about something, he saw that things are right back to square one. A Post-it note with "Sam Swarek" written in her careful, beautiful handwriting frozen in a jar of water. He saw Traci's handiwork all over it and was slightly satisfied that Andy had picked him and not her training officer. In retrospect, he should have reported it. There was still a tiny piece of him that held him from racing right to the station though – all he ever wanted was for her to be happy. With him or with someone else. With her job. With her life in general. They say that's what true love is. Maybe he loved Andy and maybe he didn't. As she tried so blankly to explain what happened, he could see it in her eyes – all the cracks in their relationship. Apparently, it was just "one night" that was "nothing" and she "didn't even sleep with him!" It was the truth, but the fact that she had even tried in the first place hurt the worst. He was a jerk while he left. That he would admit any day. But he was pent up with seeing every tiny detail and trying not to put two and two together. He was a detective. It was second nature.
All of that failed in comparison to the surge of guilt and pain he experienced the second she walked into the D's office. Her eyes tried to convey all the apologies in the world… but he just couldn't talk to her, not now. Not after all that had happened. Instead he treated her as if she was a stranger who wasn't as breathtaking as Andy McNally. She stormed out, got assigned to transport a prisoner with Swarek, and then she was gone. Subconsciously, he stayed glued near the radio. Subconsciously, he started freaking out a little when he heard her voice, calling for an ambulance. Subconsciously he knew he couldn't lose her.
Consciously, he continued tacking up pictures of his latest case.
Later that day, a little before he was about to clear out, Sam poked his head into the office. His eyes quickly scanned the office before flicking back to Callaghan. McNally, it had to do with McNally. How had he even found out? Andy would have never told her "friend" and Luke definitely never said anything. Deciding to play dumb, Callaghan glanced back at his paperwork and casually said, "Have a nice trip?"
The words seemed to fly out of Sam's mouth before he could censor them. "You know what, you're an idiot."
Luke blinked. "Excuse me?" he nearly growled, putting the pen down. The last thing he needed right now was Swarek insulting him. Well, technically the last thing he needed was Andy begging her way back into his life, but this was down there too.
Sam glanced behind him. "Nothing happened with McNally that night. I tried, she shot me down. She's crazy about you - don't screw it up." Then he was gone and the door shut behind him. This is exactly what he needed. He rolled his eyes to the ceiling but then looked away. Maybe Swarek's right. He obviously didn't know that it had already been screwed up but he had a point. She was crazy about him.
That's why he found himself outside after shift, leaning against his car. When she finally exited, bag in hand and heavy limp in her step, she looked slightly confused as to why Luke was there. She didn't look that happy to find him there though. "Hey… Waiting for me?"
"Ran into your friend Swarek." The words came out wrong. A little too tense and almost mocking.
Still, she didn't overthink his tone for once. "Yeah, and that's all we are. Just friends." There was an awkward pause. "So are we talking now?"
He kept up his angry front but found it impossible to be mad at her. It was like being mad at a puppy. "No. You and I are done talking." She got this really upset face and he just had to step forward and kiss her. He had been planning on it anyway but a sad Andy McNally is as innocent as… he couldn't come up with anything better than the puppy metaphor. He enjoyed the moment, loving the feeling of her back in his arms. That was the worst part of their little fight – not being able to enjoy this.
When they finally pulled away, he cracked a gentle smile. But she looked so hesitant, so confused. As if she was conflicted with the idea of him back in her life. After a few seconds, she smiled back, shy and adorable.
Maybe things between them would end anyway. But he was happy that he had her back now.