disclaimer: i do not own rookie blue :(
this is my first fic, i apologize in advance about any mistakes. i hope that you guys like it. please review and creative criticism is always welcome. so enjoy :)
POV: Sam
He peeked into the tiny velvet box checking, debating whether it was worthy of her or not. "Ready." she stated waltzing back into the room, he closed it hurriedly and shoved it into his jacket pocket. "Let's go" replied with as much normalcy as he could muster.
We drove in silence; Andy repeatedly tried to start conversation but I was too distracted by the box burning a hole in my pocket.
"What's wrong Sam?" she asked having given up on conversation.
"Nothing." I replied trying to sound reassuring. Judging by the look on her face I had failed, miserably. But she didn't press me. Instead we continued the drive.
When we arrived at the precinct I jumped out of the truck, and hurried to the locker room to find the one person who I trusted to help me in this situation.
"Oliver!"
"Hey, bro" he started then noticed my mood. "What's up?" he added cautiously.
"Ummm…" I had no clue how to start this conversation, "hey how do you think I should propose to the woman of my dreams? am I being stupid, should I wait….." even if I could talk as fast as Andy I still wouldn't be able to voice all my questions before parade. The look on Oliver's face was one of confusion. So after a long pause I gave up and retrieved the box from my pocket. The instant Ollie saw it he knew exactly what it was.
"Wow." He said as I opened the box,
"Wow what? Wow she'll love it, wow this is dumb…"
"Seriously man, calm down, and in less you want the whole station to know lower your voice as well."
I took a couple breaths. I was nervous, of all the things I've done in my life this was one of the hardest. Not because I had doubts about Andy, more because I wanted it to be perfect. Since the time I had gotten the ring I had been thinking nonstop, I barely got any sleep I was so worried about it. I have no clue how Andy manages to stay sane with all the thinking she does!
"Now" Oliver started again, "what is the problem?"
"I have no clue how to pop the question?"
"How about romantic dinner?"
"Too cliché."
We ran through a couple more ideas but none of them seemed worthy.
"Well I'm all out of ideas" Oliver said simply.
"ARE YOU KIDING ME!" I yelled, much to the surprise of the entire locker room.
"Nothing to see, go back to your business" my friend covered for me. "What do you mean, you're out of ideas?" I asked more politely.
"Simple, I used the romantic dine, and I have no other experience, so I can't really help you."
"Oh"
"Sorry, but you should really start getting ready; at this rate you'll be as late as McNally."
Then half way out the door he paused " sam you'll figure it out and she will say yes, don't worry."
He was right; despite my rush I still ended up entering the room at the same time as her. She smiled up at me, I tried to do the same but it came out as a grimace. As a result she opted to sit with her rookie friends instead of taking her normal spot at the back with me.
Andy's POV:
The whole morning he'd been acting strange, almost ignoring me, mumbling, keeping up fake tones. It didn't make any sense, did I do something wrong? No, I can't think of anything, but I don't know! So when Sam gave me that weird look I decided it'd be better to sit with Traci.
"Hey, Trac?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you think of anything that happened yesterday to explain Sam acting weird?"
"No I don't think so, except he wasn't at the penny last night."
I opened my mouth to respond only to be cut off by best. He handed out the normal assignments, traci/Noelle, Gail/Dov, Ollie/Chris (Gail and him had been split once they started dating) and last but not least me and Sam (we had only been kept together because "why break up an amazing team" and none of my friends were quite comfy with Sam). Best concluded with the usual "serve, protect, and don't be stupid" I couldn't help but be a little nervous. 8 hours in a car with someone who was acting weird, If I am lucky he'll talk to me about it, but knowing Sam it wasn't very likely. Never the less I had no choice but to sluggishly make my way to the squad car.
As I got to the squad car I heard Traci behind me, "sorry I'd talk more but Noelle's waiting. Text me!" She yelled running toward the opposite end of the parking lot.
I was right about Sam; we didn't say a word to each other. Every time I tried to start a conversation he would ignore me, it's like he didn't hear me at all. Once or twice he started to ask me something only to clamp up immediately. Thank god for Traci! I don't think I would have survived without her, to distract me from Sam's weird looks and sideways glances. Traci texted me back and forth; she tried to help me figure out the reason behind Sam's sudden change, and then gave up and did everything she could to calm me down. Unfortunately not long into the day we had to stop texting, and actually do our jobs. But that didn't stop me from thinking. The only logical explanation was that I had done something wrong. Maybe he wants to break up with me? This thought was like a cancer, spreading throughout my head, by lunch time it had already taken over and had no intention of leaving.
6 hours into our shift we returned to the station to do the paper work for the day, or in Sam's case, the neglected paperwork for the week. I got to work immediately, but Sam hardly got any work done! He kept on looking up at me, then shaking his head and looking back down. It was even more unnerving than his looks in the car. Thankfully Gail the Ollie and Chris returned shortly after us and so I was able to talk to Chris. But yet again all I was told was to "calm down" and "I'm sure it's nothing."
Every time a pair returned, I would try to get some advice but it was always the same. After a while I gave up and tried to focus on only my work. But my brain refused to turn off, and I was left with only one thought, Sam was going to break up with me.
Sam's POV:
All day, I fought myself over strategy. Should it be dramatic, or subtle? Private or public? All these questions floated around my head. I was so distracted I hardly heard dispatch; Andy had to respond and turn on the head lights sometimes before I'd notice. My body worked numbly, while my mind raced ahead. Soon I found myself sitting at the desk attempting paperwork. I spent more time looking at Andy than I did the paper. Once in a while an idea would strike me only to be turned down, nothing was just right , kind of like goldilocks except with billions of beds to try out! Andy would have laughed at my childishness, I glanced up again, then right back down.
Why is this so hard! I felt like ripping my hair out! As an alternative I stood up and went for coffee. As I walked to the coffee machine I was still in zombie mode that is, until I was ambushed by 7 people. I stood dumbfounded blocked in by all Andy's friends and my 3 best friends.
Traci started the intervention "okay, seriously Andy is freaking out! You need to hurry up!" this statement took him by surprise. How did Nash know about his plan? Or is she talking about something else?
"What are you talking about?" he decided was the safest answer.
"We all know about the little box" piped up jerry.
"Sorry buddy, I told Noelle who told Nash who passed it on to everyone else."
My eyes narrowed
"Yes, yes, we all know how scary you are; if you haven't noticed 3 of the people here have kept their mouths shut for fear of being killed. But now is not the time for this." Said Noelle matter of factly.
"that's right" said jerry," from what I've heard from Traci, your girl has over thought her way to china."
"If you don't pop the question soon she'll bolt." I'm not sure who said this because realizing had just struck me. I was so wrapped up in the ring that all of today I had been a totally idiot! And Andy; being Andy; had started to do what she does best, over think and panic.
"Get over there and fix this" said Oliver.
I didn't need to be told twice. I walked straight back to the desk. "Andy?" my voice was cautious, how bad is the damage I wondered. "Yes Sam" she responded almost as cautiously. I took a deep breath.
"We need to talk."
"Yes we do" started Andy, and then she exploded
"you've been acting weird all day and I'm sorry for whatever I did wrong and I really don't know what I did but I really wish I did so that I could fix it then we'd be okay but if we aren't and you wanna break up that's ok too I can take it and…" how she managed to say all of this without taking a breath I will never know, but the panic was clear in her voice. I took my mind a while to process everything she had said and before it had finished she was off again.
"Wow, slow down!" I said reaching out and grabbing her arms gently and making sure she wouldn't have the chance to run, and reassuring myself that she was still there.
"Okay so for starters, who ever said anything about you doing something wrong? And actually more importantly what was that about breaking up?"
Tears threatened to fall from her eyes, "I don't know it's just that you've been acting weird and …." She looked down avoiding my gaze
"Do you want to break up?" I asked almost fearing the answer. Her eyes shot right back up
"NO!" she said then added quietly "I love you."
I smiled and (for the first time since I had gotten the ring) stopped thinking. I dropped my arms. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the box all my hopes and dreams were contained in. At the same time I kneeled down on one knee.
"Andrea McNally, will you marry me?"
It took her a second to reply, one excruciating second then…..
"YES!" cheers erupted from the audience neither of them had noticed. The next thing they knew all of the station was crowding around. Hugs and good wishes were passed around, but throughout all the chaos her newly jeweled hand never left his.