Your Touch

Chapter One

zebraboymom

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me…they do not belong to me…they do not belong to me…they do not belong to me…

Author Notes: I am labeling this T. I hope it isn't too graphic for a T rating.

The darkness made it hard for Andy to see the small girl.

"Andy, I'm scared."

"I know Sweety, but you have to be brave. I will do my very best to keep you safe. I won't let the bad men hurt you if I can help it, okay?"

"O…okay."

The little girl wrapped her arms around Andy's neck and buried her face in her neck. Andy felt her heart break for this small child who watched both of her parents die. How could she tell her they might not get out alive either. Andy had hope though. She knew Sam would come for her. She just knew.

The door suddenly opened and two terrified faces looked up to see the man who was their captor. Andy pushed little Kelly behind her and faced her attacker head on. He struck her across the face and she saw stars and then nothing.

When she awoke, she could hear Kelly sniffling beside her and she instant reached out for her. Pain seared through her arm.

"Come here, Honey. Are you okay?"

"I am,..but the bad man really hurt you Andy. He did bad things to you, very bad things."

Andy knew she was right. Her whole body ached with pain and there was a horrible burning between her legs. She no longer had any pants on and there was blood. She rolled over and was immediately sick on the floor. She knew he had raped her. Thank God she wasn't conscious when it happened.

"You were asleep for a long time, Officer Andy. I thought he killed you." She began to cry and tremble in Andy's arms.

"How long has the man been gone, Honey? A little while or a long time?"

"A really long time. I'm so hungry ."

"I know, Sweetie. Don't worry, my friend Sam will find us. I know he will."

There was no way to gauge how long they had been in the basement. When the man didn't return, Andy knew he probably never was. She couldn't bring herself to tell the little girl that he had left them to die. Andy could feel herself getting weaker and weaker and she felt so bad knowing that she would probably succumb long before the little girl did and she could not stand the idea that she would die alone in this hell hole with Andy's dead body. Where are you Sam? We're here!

It had been three days. Three horrible days wondering where Andy was and if she was okay. Sam reached up to feel the line of stitches across his temple where he had been knocked out. They had been called to a home when neighbors had heard screams and gunshots.

They couldn't wait for back up. A child inside was screaming.

"Don't hurt my baby. Don't hurt my baby."

They had no idea what they were walking into, but they had to go. They heard more gunshots. Sam took the front door and Andy took the back door. The first thing he saw was the body of the woman. She had been shot and as he knelt to feel for a pulse, he knew she was dead. There was noise of a struggle coming from the garage.

"McNally, try the garage door in back."

Sam went through the door leading from the house into the garage and as he peered into the darkness he was struck straight across the face by a blunt object. The last thing he remembered as he fell down the short set of steps from the house to the garage was Andy screaming. That was three days ago. They had no leads and Luke was being a bastard to him, blaming him for what happened. Luke was right. It was his fault. He never should have gone in without back up. Now Andy could be dead. He had nightmares every time he lay down for a nap. In his nightmares she was tortured, raped and killed slowly and in pain. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't reach her in time and he would wake up in a sweat, tears running down his face. He stared down at the information they had gathered from neighbors. It was about the hundredth time he had gone over it. Luke had insisted on following up with every lead. Sam was told to stand down time after time. Today Sam had enough. He was going to run down a few leads of his own before he shared them with the detective in charge of the case. He had just as much a right to look for Andy as the rest of them. He chose a tip from the hotline that said a van matching the description of the one neighbors saw streak away from the house that night had been parked beside an old wool factory. It was a long shot. They got dozens of calls just like it every day. Everybody saw the van everywhere. It didn't matter. They all had to be checked out just in case. It was better than sitting around doing nothing. Sam was exhausted from lack of sleep, but he climbed into his car and went to follow the lead. When he arrived at the factory he didn't see any signs of the van. It was probably long gone. He shuddered when he thought about the possibility that Andy's body could be inside rotting. He drew his gun and flashlight and pushed through a door that was cracked slightly. It was dark inside and it took forever to go room to room clearing them as he went. He was near the end of his search and he was getting more depressed by the minute. It was another dead end. He reached one final door. It had a bar across it. He lifted the bar and pushed it open letting his flashlight fill the room.

Sam was not prepared for what he saw on the other side of the door. Andy was lying on the floor in a fetal position and a little girl was tucked tightly in her arms. She was completely naked and there didn't appear to be a single place on her body that wasn't scratched or bruised.

Sam rushed to her side, hot tears beginning to burn his eyes. He knelt and reached out to touch her shoulder. She flinched and pulled away.

"Please don't hurt her."

The little girl whimpered.

"I'm a police officer honey. I'm her partner. I won't hurt you or her. I'm here to help."

Sam called for a bus and began to unbutton his shirt. The little girl stood up and scooted up beside Sam, one hand on his shoulder for support as he kneeled beside Andy. He gently pulled her up to a sitting position and took his shirt off, leaving him in his black t-shirt. He slipped her arms in the sleeves and she whimpered when he touched her left wrist as he pulled it through.

"Andy, it's me, Sam."

"Sam?"

"Please Sam, don't look at me."

It's okay Andy. Just look at me, Honey. Don't take your eyes off me, okay?"

She nodded and he carefully buttoned her up. The sound of the ambulance and police cars sounded close.

"Can you put your arms around my neck?"

"I…I don't think I can. It hurts, Sam."

Sam slipped his arms under Andy's legs and picked her up. Holding her close. His lips brushed her forehead.

"It's okay sweetheart. I've got you. I won't let anything else happen to you. I'm here now. I'm so sorry Andy. It's all my fault."

Even though she was weak and in pain, she tried to comfort him.

"Sam…that's…not true. We were just doing our…job…"

Sam carried her out of the warehouse and to the arriving ambulance. The little girl held onto his t-shirt and clung to his side as they waited for it to back in. They opened the back doors and Sam stepped up into the rig with Andy in his arms. He laid her gently on the gurney and then reached down for the little girl. Paramedics were on her and the little girl fast. He jumped down just long enough to tell the first officer to arrive the location of the crime scene.

"I'm going with them to the hospital. Let me know what you find on the scene. I want to take these bastards down."

The officer nodded. He knew how close partners could be and he knew Sam and Andy were even closer than most. It didn't matter that she was dating the snot nosed detective. He knew love when he saw it.

Sam jumped back up into the ambulance and sat near Andy's head. He took her good hand in his and entwined their fingers. He ran his other hand over and over the soft skin at her wrist. The little girl snuggled up beside him and laid her head on his shoulder. He looked down at Andy and found himself unable to stop the flood of tears pouring down his face.

Andy looked up into Sam's eyes. He had to lean in to hear her whisper.

"I knew you'd come."