Title:The First Dance
Rating:K
Spoilers: None really.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of it... Damn
Summary: Wedding's over. Let the reception begin. A/S.
A/N: So this is a fic written for Ashlee J, the winner of my unannounced Her Own Rules review contest. Ashlee was my 50th reviewer and therefore I asked her to give me a plotline for a story and I'd write it. My challenge was: Write a story about Sam and Andy's wedding complete with flashbacks of how they got together / their engagement and keep the song "Mine" by Taylor Swift in mind/make it the first dance.
Dedication: This one goes out to hellolove and Sophia_Rex on Twitter. Both who have been unending sources of conversation about Rookie Blue for me! Thanks for all the awesome chats guys!

The First Dance

The reception hall was packed full; everyone had come out to watch Sam Swarek and Andy McNally finally tie the knot.

The wedding had been beautiful; simple, yet unfailingly elegant. Now it was time for the party, and if anyone in that room knew the first thing about Sam and Andy then they knew it was going to be a night to remember.

"Ladies and gentlemen," came a voice over the sound system and everyone turned to see Dov Epstein standing at the DJ booth. Dov had offered his 'mad DJ skills,' as he put it, so that they wouldn't have to hire someone. Whether or not taking him up on the offer was a good idea had yet to be discovered. "It is my esteemed pleasure to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Sam Swarek!"

With that, and to the sound of everyone's thundering applause, Andy and Sam rose from their seats at the head table and slowly made their way to the dance floor. Under any other circumstances, Sam would have hated to have everyone staring at him. He wasn't an attention-seeking kind of guy. But now, with everyone watching him and his new wife, he couldn't be happier.

"Our happy couple will be doing things a little differently tonight," chuckled Dov into the microphone. "For their first dance, our friends have decided to grace us with an adorable little number from the country star Taylor Swift." Dov had to restrain himself from laughing as a murmur went through the crowd. "Who knew our dear McNally was a closet country fan?"

Sam couldn't help but roll his eyes at the slight absurdity of it all; an action which did not go unnoticed.

"Hey! No eye rolling!" came Dov's mock-stern voice and Sam could only glare at his now friend. "This is what happens, Sammy boy, when you let the girl do all the planning."

Now it was Andy's turn to shoot a glare towards the DJ booth, but everyone knew you couldn't stay mad at Epstein for long... It was impossible.

"It's all about the compromise!" Sam shouted as the song began.

"Whatever you say, brother!" teased Dov. "So here it is, guys. 'Mine' by Taylor Swift."

Despite the fact that it wasn't the traditional slow dance, Sam and Andy got along just fine. They had both taken, at Andy's insistence, several dance classes prior to the wedding. And now, as they spun around the floor and Taylor Swift filled his ears, Sam couldn't help but stare at her. The perfect girl that he thought he'd never find, who came barreling into his life with a gun pointed straight at him.

It had been a long road, but every step of the way they had taken together.

He arrived at the West Beach just as the sun was setting. There was no guarantee that she'd be here—since she didn't have a car—but he'd told Traci that he would help find her after the young woman had called him nearly panicked.

It seemed that the split between Andy McNally and Luke Callaghan that everyone had been expecting didn't exactly go well. Now Luke was sitting in the Penny drowning his sorrows in multiple glasses of whiskey, and Andy had disappeared.

He'd checked everywhere that he could think of before finally remembering the West Beach. Andy had said once that she was more like her father than she'd ever admit, and the West Beach was Tommy McNally's spot of choice when he was angry or upset over something. So it was no surprise to Sam when he found her sitting along the water, just staring off into space.

"McNally?" he asked gently, approaching her. When no response came, Sam sat himself down next to her, content to just sit in silence until she wanted to talk.

"Luke's gone..." she sighed, after a few moments. "He said he just couldn't make himself trust me after everything that's happened." When she turned to glance at him, Sam couldn't help but feel his heart break a little for her as he took in her bloodshot eyes and tear-streaked cheeks. "I don't know what else I could have done," she admitted, "to fix things."

"There's nothing you could have done, Andy," he assured her. "If Callaghan didn't trust you, then he'd an idiot."

"He's not an idiot," she corrected him. "He was right not to trust me."

"Why?" Sam couldn't understand why she was trying to blame everything on herself.

She didn't have to say anything, because the look she gave him spoke volumes. It spoke of a repressed desire that was most definitely not for Luke Callaghan.

Lacking anything to say, Sam did the only thing he could think of. Reaching out his arm, he placed it firmly around her shoulders and pulled her against him. After a few moments she placed her head lightly on his shoulder and they just sat there looking out over the water.

Neither said anything; nothing needed to be said. And that morning, just as the sun began to creep over the horizon, they left the West Beach in his truck.

They hadn't spoken a word all night and now, as they pulled up in front of his house, both were perfectly content to let their bodies say the words each had been hiding for months.

Do you remember, we were sittin' there, by the water?
You put your arm around me for the first time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine

Andy was on Cloud Nine. One year ago today she had been just a lowly rookie at Fifteenth Division. She'd just had her heart broken, though, if she was honest with herself it was the best thing to ever happen to her. She'd been so hurt and lost, but he'd been there to pick her up and show her the way.

"I'll have to thank Callaghan someday," came his voice, inches from her ear.

"Just make sure there's no batons nearby!" she whispered back. She couldn't imagine what Luke's reaction would be to Sam actually thanking him for breaking up with her, but Andy couldn't exactly make herself care.

Luke had hurt her; he'd left her believing that love—true love—didn't even exist. It's why that first night with Sam had initially been only about making herself forget the hurt. She never intended on it going anywhere, but it had.

Sam was a patient man. He'd stuck with her through everything. And piece by piece, he'd put her heart back together again only to immediately steal it away for his own. She hadn't always thought it would work out, but now there wasn't a doubt in her mind that she and Sam would get their happily ever after.

"What do you mean you don't know?" he asked, still down on bended knee. In his hands, the diamond ring sparkled brilliantly from its black velvet box.

"I just don't know, Sam," she sighed. "Marriage is... Well, it's just a big step."

"I know it's a big step, Andy," he said, rising from his position on the floor. She knew that he was upset, but keeping his cool in front of her was one thing Sam had mastered over the past few months. "But it's one that we're ready to make. I love you, Andy, more than anything."

"But what if it doesn't work?" she stammered. "What if we get married and then everything goes wrong? Love doesn't work Sam."

"How so?"

"Luke broke my heart," she ignored his wince at the mention of her former boyfriend and continued to babble, "We were in love and then I screwed it all up. My mom... She fell out of love with my dad and abandoned us. I spent most of my life without a mother because love didn't work."

He took her in his arms then, pulling her close. Andy suspected it was a dual-purpose action, performed to not only comfort her but also to effectively shut her up.

"Luke was an idiot for letting you go," he told her after a few moments. "He made the biggest mistake of his life when he let you go." He stepped back then, looking straight into her eyes but not removing his arms from around her. "It was a mistake that I have absolutely no intention of making."

She could only smile at his admission. Deep inside, Andy knew that Sam really did love her and that he wouldn't do anything to hurt her. But it didn't alleviate her fears that she might do something to hurt him.

"We're also not your parents," he continued. "Yeah, they didn't work out... But it doesn't mean that all marriages are doomed. You're a much better person than your mother will ever be. I trust you, Andy, with my life...my heart...everything. This will work because it has to; we're meant to be together."

It was enough to elicit a smile from her, and Andy realized that she really was being overly paranoid about the whole situation. There was no reason that they wouldn't work; they were perfect for each other in every way. He was her happily ever after and now it was up to her to be his.

Leaning in, Andy placed her lips against his in a passionate kiss. Andy told herself that it was one more kiss to assure her she was making the right decision, but truthfully she'd known her answer all along. She would marry Sam Swarek, and they would be happy...for as long as they lived.

Pulling back briefly, she couldn't help but smile at the look on Sam's face.

"Is that a 'yes' then?" he asked.

She didn't reply, only smiled whole-heartedly at him before diving back in for another earth shattering kiss.

Flash forward, and we're takin' on the world together
And there's a drawer of my things at your place
You learn my secrets and figure out why I'm guarded
You say we'll never make my parents' mistakes

Sam couldn't help but smile when he felt her grip his hand a bit tighter as they spun around the dance floor. Honestly, he never wanted her to let go. It was amazing how easily this girl had captured his heart. He was a goner now; he'd do anything for her.

Sure, things hadn't always been easy going and he was sure there'd be many more potholes along the road of their life, but that's what you get when you sign on for love. They'd fight, yell and scream at each other, and probably say things they didn't mean. But in the end it would make them stronger; bring them closer together.

Nothing could come between them.

"Best took me off the mission because of you!" Andy yelled, pacing back and forth in his living room. "How do you think that makes me look Sam? It makes me look like I can't do my job!"

"It was a dangerous mission, Andy!" he yelled back. "I didn't want you to get hurt so I talked to Frank! And look what happened! Your replacement on that mission got shot!"

"That doesn't mean I would have," she countered. "Hell, he probably got shot because I got pulled off the mission. If I had been there..."

"It be you in the hospital bed right now!" he bellowed.

"I don't care!" she shot back. "You're not my training officer anymore, Sam Swarek! And you're certainly not my boss! You don't get to decide which missions I go and which ones I don't!"

"I wasn't going to be there, Andy! I didn't want you to get hurt."

"You can't be with me every second of every day, Sam!" she hollered. "You can't treat me like I'm going to break the second something bad happens! I'm a cop and this is my job! Sooner or later I'm going to get hurt. There's nothing you can do to stop that!"

"Fine! Sorry for trying," he ground out. "Next time I'll let Best send you into a death trap. I won't say anything. But don't expect me to visit you in the hospital either!"

He knew he'd gone too far with the last comment because instead of firing back, Andy just turned and walked out the front door. Sam wasn't sure if he'd ever forget the look she'd given him right before turning, so it only took a few seconds for him to decide to follow her.

He found her standing on the street in front of his house. It was incredibly cold out and she hadn't even stopped to grab her jacket during her departure. Now she stood shivering on the sidewalk and looking as if she was trying to decide whether or not to walk home in the cold.

"Andy..." he began, but she cut him off.

"Just go away Sam!" she shouted.

Moving to stand in front of her, he placed his hands on her shoulders, effectively stopping her from turning away from him. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm sorry."

"I don't want to do this right now, Sam," she spat. "I can't believe what you just said to me!"

"Neither can I," he admitted. "I was angry. I was only trying to help when I talked to Best today, Andy. I worry about you so much. It's almost too much to take."

"I worry about you too, Sam," she admitted and he could tell she was calming down. "But I don't try to stop you from doing your job. You can't protect me all the time. Eventually I'm probably going to get hurt. Eventually you're probably going to get hurt. But that's our jobs Sam."

"I know it is, but it doesn't mean that I can just shut down and not worry about you," he explained. "Especially when I'm not going to be there."

"I love that you worry about me," she smiled, stepping closer to him. "But we can't let it interfere with what we have to do. You know that's a one-way trip to one of us getting transferred...Or losing our job."

"You're right," he replied, wrapping his arms around her in an attempt to stop her shivering. "But I'm never going to stop worrying about you, McNally."

"I'd be a little nervous if you did, Swarek," she chuckled.

Stepping back again, Sam flashed her his best 'I'm Sorry' smile. "Come back inside? It's freezing out here."

"I guess I could do that," she laughed, "if you're that cold." Turning back towards the house she reached out, taking his hand and together they walked back into the warmth of his living room.

And I remember that fight, two-thirty AM
You said everything was slipping right out of our hands
I ran out, crying, and you followed me out into the street

Andy couldn't remember the last time that she was this happy. Glancing around quickly she took in the faces of all their friends, telling herself that this really was perfection. Here she was, with the man she loved, surrounded by her closest friends and family; even her father—now five months sober.

This was real; this was right.

Everything was going to work.

Do you believe it?
We're gonna make it now
And I can see it

I can see it now

As the song ended, they came to a stop in the center of the dance floor, both beaming happily at each other. Stepping forward, Andy slowly raised her mouth to his, reveling in the soft feeling of his lips against hers and unsuccessfully trying to ignore the uproar of cheers and whooping that had exploded all around them.

"Hey now," came Dov's voice over the speakers, "none of that! You've got a second dance to get to!"

Leaning back, Andy just smiled up at Sam, "Time for your classic rock, old man."

"Hey!" he laughed. "Don't mock the classic rock. I didn't mock your country music."

"It's all about the compromise," Andy said, placing her arms around him once again.

"At this time," Dov explained, "our couple would also like to invite anyone in the crowd who is in love to join them on the dance floor." With that he pressed the play button and a beautiful piano melody began to play.

Taking a quick inventory of the couples heading to the dance floor—Chris and Gail, Traci and Jerry, Oliver and his wife Zoe—Andy sighed, placing her head against Sam's shoulder, smiling as leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"I love you, Mrs. Swarek," he whispered.

"I love you too, Mr. Swarek." she glanced up at him. "What band is this again?"

"It's Journey," he replied, chuckling. "You're never going to remember these bands are you?"

"Probably not," she admitted, lifting her head and giving him a quick peck on the lips. "But it's a pretty song."

"I'm glad you like it," he admitted.

"But just so you know," she smiled, "I'm still not listening to Rush!"

So, I hope you guys (and especially you Ashlee) liked it! I've honestly never written any form of songfic before, so this was a bit of an experiment for me.

And if anybody is wondering, the song playing at the end is 'Open Arms' by Journey... The song which will be my second dance at my wedding, since we're probably also going the non-traditional route and not having a 'first dance' per say.