This one feels a little different than others I've written – more dialogue maybe…not sure. Anyways, the last story was more lighthearted so we're going a little more serious here. Hope you still like it.

Not sure about the timing on this, but Andy has not moved in with Luke.

As always…I own no part of Rookie Blue.

It had been a long week, but it was finally Friday night, and Traci was on a mission. "Come on, Andy…just one drink."

"I'm really not in the mood, Trace."

"You've been saying that all week and I'm not taking no for an answer."

Andy groaned but knew it was useless to argue with Traci when she got something into her head. "Fine…but just one."

"As long as you tell me what's going on."

"Traci."

"Andy, I'm your best friend; I know something's going on." Traci pressured. "I've barely seen you all week. And the only time we talked it was just long enough for you to tell me that you and Luke are done. I have to tell you I'm surprised; I really didn't think your breakup with Luke was going to hit you this hard."

Andy shook her head. It wasn't Traci's fault; she just didn't understand. "I really don't want to talk about that tonight."

"Fine. But my mom is taking Leo tomorrow night and we are having a proper ladies night and you are telling me everything." Traci warned.

"Everything?"

Traci could hear the apprehension in Andy's voice.

"Yes. Andy it will help to talk about it I promise." Traci swore. "But if you tell me you want that jackass back…"

Andy almost laughed. "You don't have to worry about that."

"Come on, let's hurry. I promise you'll feel better." Traci said, pushing a reluctant Andy forward.

They showered quickly and left for the Penny. As soon as they walked in, they headed over to join the other rookies at their usual table. Andy started to relax for the first time that week, and Traci was glad that she had made her come. She still wasn't herself, but it was something.

After her drink, Andy decided to visit the washroom before she headed out. On her way back to say goodbye to everyone, she passed by Sam and he held out his arm to stop her.

"Hey." He greeted her.

"Hey."

They had been partnered together for the last five days and he knew something was off. She was quiet all the time, barely speaking to anyone including him and that wasn't like her; it had made for a very long week. Sam had tried to ask her what was wrong a couple of times but she kept brushing him off. And she hadn't been at the Penny all week so he was starting to worry about her.

When she came in tonight, he was pleasantly surprised. He had been watching her across the bar and was relieved to see that she was finally relaxing. "Can you sit for a minute or do you have to get back?"

They always talked or greeted each other when they were at the Penny, but didn't often sit together; she was curious. "I have to go soon, but I guess I have a minute."

She sat down on the stool beside him and he met her eyes. "McNally, Are you okay?"

Andy had to fight to hold back the tears; of course Sam noticed. He always knew when something was off and he always cared enough to ask. She looked down at the bar as she gave her standard answer. "I'm fine."

Sam just rolled his eyes and turned back to his drink. If she wasn't going to give it up, he was going to have to get it out of her. "You seem upset that he broke up with you." He said, trying to hide his disappointment.

"What do you mean?" Andy was puzzled.

"Um…I'm not sure how to answer that." Sam was equally confused by her reaction. "What do you mean what do I mean? It's pretty obvious that you're upset about it."

"Yes, I'm upset, but not…what makes you think Luke broke up with me?" She wondered.

Sam was a bit confused; he thought that was obvious too. "Andy, it doesn't take a rocket scientist. You told me on Monday that you broke up and he's been in here every night this week drinking and flirting. You've been sad and despondent and you haven't showed up here until tonight when he's nowhere to be found. It doesn't take a genius."

"Nice." Andy let out a huff of breath; she did not know or care whether Luke was going to be here or not. "Actually, Sam, I broke up with Luke."

But then she started to wonder. "Did he say he broke up with me?"

Sam was shocked. He was sure he had everything right…and now he had to fess up that he had been listening to the rumor mill. "I know you don't like the gossiping but there's been a lot of talk in the locker room this week and I mean it sure sounded like that. I don't think he actually said it, but he definitely didn't deny it."

Andy just shook her head sadly.

"What happened?" Sam asked, curious now that he knew they had all read the situation wrong.

He was surprised when she actually started answering him; she didn't share easily.

"It hasn't been working for a while." Andy admitted. "My heart just wasn't in it," she said, meeting Sam's eyes before quickly looking away. "And I'm pretty sure he knew that."

She continued. "But the final straw happened on Saturday. My dad got sick and I had to cancel out on some plans with Luke this weekend. Even though he cancels on me all the time, he didn't take it very well. He had two high school buddies in town with their wives and we were supposed to go out for supper with them on Saturday night. My dad was admitted to the hospital on Saturday morning."

Sam's eyes went wide. He had no idea.

"Luke was really upset; I'm pretty sure he was just trying to show me off. God that sounds egotistical." She admitted, shaking her head.

Sam just rolled his eyes. It's not egotistical when it's the truth. He would happy to show Andy off too.

"Anyway, he was mad that I wouldn't be going; he had even told me what dress he wanted me to wear. Can you believe that?"

Sam could believe that. For Luke, it was all about the show.

"I finally told him that if he didn't realize how important my dad was to me, then it definitely was not going to work out."

Sam watched as Andy bit her lip; he knew there was more to the story. "And?"

"And we broke up." She finished shortly.

"There's more." Sam stated. It wasn't a question.

Andy blushed as she looked down at the bar. "He might have thrown your name around a little too." She revealed sheepishly.

When Sam didn't say anything, she continued reluctantly. "He's been pressuring me to change partners."

Sam's eyes widened in surprise. He knew Luke was not happy about Andy spending time with Sam even if it was work. But Sam was not expecting him to do anything about it; he was hoping that Luke had finally accepted their partnership. A change like that doesn't look good on a rookie's record; Callahan knows that.

"I've refused anytime it was mentioned so when I broke it off; he implied that it had nothing to do with my dad, but everything to do with you."

Andy could see Sam's jaw clenching and unclenching as he tried to maintain his control, and she could tell that he was not happy. She knew she should probably just go and leave it at that, but the floodgates had been opened and there was no stopping them now.

"Anyways, my dad's been in the hospital since Saturday. I spent Saturday and Sunday with him while we were off. Now that I've been back to work, I leave right after shift to catch the bus to the hospital and spend the evening. I'm all he's got so I sit with him while he has supper and then when visiting hours are over, I go to his house to check on it and take in the mail and then I go home to bed."

Sam was worried. "What about you? When do you eat?" She was probably too busy taking care of her father to worry about herself.

"I try to grab something when I can." She admitted.

Sam frowned. That wasn't good enough for him.

"Does Nash know?" He asked.

"No one does." She said as she shook her head. "And I'd like to keep it that way please."

Sam just nodded; he knew how important her privacy was to her, especially when it came to her father.

"I will tell Traci though." She said. "I've just been so busy and tired that we haven't had a chance to talk yet. We're supposed to have girls night tomorrow night so I was going to tell her everything then."

"Andy, why didn't you call me?" He asked softly; he was a little hurt that she didn't think to ask him for help with this right away.

She just kept looking down. He had called her Andy, and with such tenderness; it hit her hard and she really couldn't speak.

"You shouldn't be going through this alone." Sam told her. "I could have been driving you and helping you. I was giving you space because I thought you were upset about Callahan, if I would have known I would have been right there."

"I wish you would have told me." He added quietly.

"Thanks, Sam. But it's OK. I'm not used to asking for or needing help with this kind of thing. As Luke proved, it doesn't pay to start depending on other people – and I depend on you for enough already. I don't need to add my personal burdens on to that."

Without even thinking, Sam put his hand on hers and Andy couldn't help feeling overwhelmed by the gesture. The tears started to build up and she stood up quickly to leave, but Sam held her back. She had finally opened up to him and he was not letting her go that easily.

"Andy, I've seen people cry before. You don't have to hide it from me." He really wanted her to trust him.

Her voice was so quiet; he could barely hear her over the din of the crowd. "If you cry, people know you've been broken. And no one wants damaged goods…no one does… not if they have a choice."

"It's not about choice anymore." Sam admitted under his breath.

"What?"

Did he say that out loud? "Crying doesn't mean you're broken, Andy; it means you feel something. And there's nothing wrong with that. "

"Cops shouldn't be weak." She countered.

"Andy you are far from weak. You are one of the strongest people I know." He said, trying to give her a reassuring smile.

Andy's attempt to return it failed miserably. "I need to get going."

"Why?"

"I don't want to use you." She answered truthfully.

Sam had no idea where that was coming from. "You don't use me."

"Are you sure? Because if you are, I'm pretty sure you're the only one who doesn't think so." She revealed. "It's not like I haven't been told."

Sam was starting to get upset again. "What? Who told you that?"

"More than one person…" She avoided, not about to name names. "They said I was taking advantage of you."

"Andy, I do things because I want to. You should know better than anyone that I make up my own mind. I don't get manipulated easily, and I don't help someone because I expect something in return." He chuckled quietly to himself at that.

"What?"

She had laid a lot out on the line tonight and he decided it was only fair to be honest. "It doesn't stop me from hoping for something more though." He said shyly.

They exchanged a meaningful glance and she moved her free hand to his arm.

She gave him a small smile. When will the timing ever be right? "I wish I was in that place right now Sam, because I know I've been hoping for more too; I really have. I could never fully commit to Luke when my heart wanted you. But I have so much going on right now that I can't even think straight."

He got it; he did. It didn't make it easier, but he did understand.

When Andy didn't come back to the table to say goodbye, Traci had looked around to see if she was still there. When she saw Andy deep in conversation with Sam, Traci turned back to the table knowing that if anyone could help her friend besides her, it would be Sam.

Traci wasn't the only one to notice the intense conversation though, and the minute Andy put her hand on Sam's arm, Jerry was bound and determined to stop it from going any further than that.

"Sammy." Jerry interrupted.

"Jerry, give us a minute." Sam ordered.

"But…"

Sam just turned and stared Jerry down; he wasn't asking. Jerry walked away shaking his head. When will that man learn?

Sam turned back to Andy. "Let me help…please, Andy. I want to be that person you depend on. You can count on me Andy. I know you don't trust a lot of people, but…"

"Sam, I've trusted you for so long – even before I realized it. I was so busy guarding my heart from Luke that I didn't even see you coming. You had my trust, my heart, all of it before I could even think to protect myself from it. By the time I realized it, I was so scared to admit it that I kept up the charade with Luke. I really didn't mean to use you." She added sadly.

Sam still had her hand in his so he squeezed it tighter trying to reassure her. "I told you…I have never felt used. I have felt disappointed…jealous maybe, but not used. I wanted to be a part of your life in whatever capacity. I didn't always enjoy it, but I was partially responsible too. I mean I could have stepped up to the plate and tried harder…we both know you probably wouldn't have been able to resist me." He added, trying to lighten the mood.

Sam was rewarded with the first genuine smile he had seen on her face in a long time. When it reached her eyes, he had to blink back the tears in his own. He had missed her this past week.

OK…that's enough. This time Jerry wasn't going to be deflected; he could see that it was getting even more serious. "Sammy, can I talk to you?"

Sam was about to glare at him again, when Andy stood up. Sam just sighed wondering why Jerry had to go sticking his nose in. They were finally getting somewhere.

"It's OK, Sam. I really do have to go." She said, making it clear to Sam where she was headed and that she didn't want Jerry to know.

Sam tried to stand too. "Just let me pay and I can take you," he offered.

She shook her head, and waited for him to sit back down. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek and whispered into his ear. "Please don't give up on me."

Sam recovered just in time to watch her walk away. As the door closed, Jerry immediately sat down with a frown. Before he could even utter a word, Sam stopped him; he knew that face. "Save it! You have no idea what you're talking about."