"Thank you all for being here today and for wearing your dress blues- he would have been honored. We have come not to mourn, but to celebrate the life of a man who was there when it mattered." A silent tear slid down Andy's cheek as she made eye contact with Oliver. Her voice was shaky as she continued.
"He was a great copper, always knew how to follow his gut, how to have his partner's back-" she took in a long breath and looked down at the speech in her hand. She had only written out the Eulogy because she was sure she would be too emotional to speak, and perhaps someone else would need to read it for her- but this speech just felt wrong. It wasn't getting her point across- yes she was speaking to a room full of cops, but she needed to honor the love between them, not just his badge.
She set the speech down and glanced at her friends once again, as she caught Gail's eye she suddenly just started blurting the words out again. "Some would say I have a sharp tongue and a quick wit most of the time" the light chuckle from the front row was reassuring, "but right now I just have no words. No words to express the joy that he has brought me over the years. No words to express the sorrow that he isn't sitting in this room right now, hearing how much we all love him and want him to be with us longer. No words to share with my kids about what he means to me, how he has shaped me, and how he has taught me the things that make me who I am."
Her eyes, that were puffy, red, and dull when she had walked to the podium moments before were suddenly showing the famous McNally Spark as the memories came flooding over her.
"I have no words, but I can still have actions- picking a lock, chasing the bad guys, using my 'TO' voice to scare some rookies." Another chuckle came former front and Andy cut the thought short, remembering how proud he was when she called him to tell him Frank had promoted her to TO just after the meeting. "- these are all things he taught me that I can pass along to my children. These things that keep him with me, will be a constant reminder of the man he was. I have no words, but I have the love he has poured into me the last 31 years and the memories that come along with that. Unfortunately, that will have to be enough until we meet again." As soon as she said the word 'enough' the sobs she had been holding back cut loose and she had to be steadied as she turned to say goodbye. She let out a breathless whisper, "Sam..."
Suddenly she heard his voice in her ear, letting her know he was here for her, then his voice was louder as he spoke to the crowd. "Tommy McNally was a good man a good detective, and a great father-in-law. Thank you all for coming." Then in a lower voice, "Come on Andy, let's go sit down, you need to rest." He placed one hand at the small of her back, the other still holding her hand, and guided her down the stairs and back to her seat.
"Thank you Sam, for being here for me, for us." She rubbed her swollen belly and let out a sad smile, putting her head on his shoulder as he pulled her closer, looking back to the podium as the priest finished the service.
"Always," he whispered and kissed her forehead. It was killing him watching her this past week. Tommy's heart attack was brutal on her. He was at their home, keeping Andy company as Sam finished up the nursery. He heard the thump and then Andy's scream, he ran down the stairs two at a time to see Tommy on the ground, Andy trying to keep him breathing. When the doctor told them Tommy didn't make it through surgery, Andy collapsed. Luckily, he caught her before she hit the floor, but she still ended up in the hospital overnight to make sure the baby was okay, as she was already 8 months pregnant. He didn't know what else he could do to support her, so he did the only thing that felt right, pulled her close. His hand resting on her belly he spoke softly against her hair, "I love you."
... ...
AN- Just a quick one-shot I couldn't get out of my mind. This is my first one-shot- please review and let me know what out think. Sorry about the death!