This started as a quick one-shot taking place at the end of Bullet Proof, but then I had all these other ideas that kept growing. So, here's the final result, which will be 2 chapters! It's AU, but you'll see some familiar S1 & S2 scenes with a different take on them. :) As always, please let me know what you think with a review. I love reading them. :) Happy New Year!

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

Chapter 1

Andy walked across the parking lot slowly, giving Sam time to finish his conversation with Oliver. When she eventually dropped his keys into his palm, all Sam could see was the sadness in her eyes and the look of powerlessness over the situation on her face. His heart tugged in a way he'd never felt before - and he really didn't know what to make of it - but he didn't want her to go home alone and stew over the 'what ifs' of the day.

"You need anything? Wanna go for a drink? Need a ride home?" he asked.

"No, I just to - actually what do you know about plumbing?" Andy appreciated he was trying to help, but she had planned to simply go home and sulk, until she remembered there was still one good thing she could do tonight.

There was a light in her eyes again at her question, and again Sam felt the unfamiliar tug at his heart, so he couldn't say no. Intrigued by what she had in mind, he let out a laugh as he pushed himself off the truck. "Jump in. Can't wait to see where this is going."

Her sudden smile brightened up the dark parking lot, and Sam realized he loved being the one to put it there.

They both got settled into his truck and as he started it up, he turned to Andy. "So, where to?"

"37 Seneca Drive," Andy rattled off from memory.

Sam knew the address sounded familiar, but it wasn't until they were halfway down the block before it clicked. "Isn't that where you got shot at today?" he asked.

Biting her bottom lip as she looked over at him shyly, she nodded. He knew she had a lion's heart, told her that much earlier, but she couldn't take this kid's death on her shoulders. "McNally, it was Callaghan's decision to go through with the surgery. You aren't to blame for the kid's death," Sam said.

"I know." She caught Sam glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, eyebrows raised. "Okay, I'm trying not to blame myself. But this isn't...This isn't about that. Benny promised his foster mom he'd fix her leaky sink after he helped us." She looked out the window so Sam couldn't see the tears building up. "He'll never be back to finish the job. It's the least I can do. It's the one thing I can do."

Sam heard the emotion in her voice, even as she tried to hide it. He didn't need to see her face to know she was near tears. He wanted to cheer her up, even if that might be difficult right now. "You mean, the one thing I can do? Don't figure you're bringing me along to chat up Marie while you fix the pipes," he said with a smirk.

She looked at him like he was ridiculous, but the smile that sprung up on her face was all he needed to tell him he was successful. "Thank you. Sorry I dragged you into this," she said.

"If it'll help you sleep better tonight, I'm glad I can help," he said, sincerely. She caught his eye and smiled softly at him before he focused back on the road.

It wasn't long before they pulled up to the curb in front of Marie D'Abramo's house. It was so quiet when Andy knocked on the door, she wondered if Marie was home. She didn't have to wonder long, as the curtain covering the window was soon pulled back, revealing the older woman, eyes red from crying.

"Officer McNally," Marie said when she opened the door.

"Andy, please. And this is Sam," she replied, looking at Sam briefly. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I thought we could fix that sink for you."

"Oh dear, you don't have to worry about that," Marie said. "I'll get someone to take care of it."

Andy knew the woman was being polite and didn't want to put them out, but she really wanted to help. She wanted to do something good today. "Benny promised you he'd be back to fix it and...Well, if he can't, then let me. Let me help him keep his promise."

Marie opened the door to let her guests in, smiling as they entered the foyer. "You're a good person Andy."

"So was Benny," Andy replied.

Marie closed the door and led them down the hallway to the kitchen. Sam saw the mess in front of her sink and headed towards it.

"Can I get you some tea?" Marie asked.

"That would be lovely," Andy said, taking a seat on a stool at the kitchen island and watching as Sam laid on his back under the sink.

"None for me, thanks," Sam said, as he picked up the tools Benny had left.

"This was very sweet of you," the older woman said as she put the tea kettle on the stove. "To bring your…" She looked down at Sam and then over at Andy.

Andy met Sam's eyes as he peeked out from under the sink waiting for her response. He could tell from the way Marie left her question hanging, she assumed they were a couple. Andy was flustered by the simple question. "My, uh, my partner. Sam's an officer too, uh, really my training officer. So, I'm his rookie...rookie-TO, yeah, that kind of partner."

Sam chuckled as he got back to work and Andy felt ridiculous for babbling on about what should have been a simple answer. He was her training officer, she was his rookie; that was the simple and truthful answer. The problem was, it always felt like more than just that.

"Well, bless you both," Marie said as she moved around the kitchen to retrieve two tea cups.

Andy watched Sam work and realized she wanted Marie's assumption that they were a couple to be a reality. She wanted more with Sam, but it was taboo. Not even just taboo, a relationship between them was strictly forbidden. It's why she'd gone out with Luke; she thought it would take her mind off Sam. But here she was, watching Sam as he worked, his legs moving and abs constricting as he tried to get a better angle at whatever he was doing. She couldn't help but notice how his shirt was riding up, leaving an inch of skin around his waist exposed. She imagined how it would feel to slide her hands up his chest, to feel the outline of his muscles under her fingertips.

"Milk?"

Andy snapped out of her daydream, and the look on Marie's face told her it wasn't the first time she'd asked the question. "Um, no, no thanks."

"I'm really sorry about Benny," Andy said when Marie joined her on the next stool. "How are you doing?"

"He was a good boy, not like a lot I've seen come through my door. He had promise, a future. It was too soon to say goodbye to him," Marie replied.

"I know it's not any consolation, but he helped us a lot. I wish things had gone differently," Andy said before sipping on her tea.

"Can you tell me what he was involved with? I'm proud to hear he was helping you, but I must admit I'm a bit surprised," Marie said.

Andy stared at the amber liquid in her cup before raising her eyes to meet Marie's. She knew Benny had chosen the so-called friends that got him into trouble in the first place, and that he made the choice to hang out with them. But she couldn't help that he was also a victim in all of this and Marie deserved to have happy memories of his last day. "He was in the wrong place at the wrong time," she told the older woman. "He witnessed a crime and, as you know, ended up with a bullet in his head. His statement, along with the bullet evidence, will help to lock away the men in charge of the crime. If it wasn't for him, the men would likely walk free."

"That's kind of you. If Benny was in the wrong place, he chose to be there. But I'm glad he was working to make things right," Marie replied.

They continued to sip their tea until Marie's phone rang. "Excuse me," Marie whispered before taking the phone with her into the next room.

Andy slid off the stool she'd been sitting on and moved around the kitchen until she was crouching down next to Sam. "How's it going?" she asked.

"Almost done. Can you shine that flashlight up here?" he asked, nodding toward the flashlight by his leg.

She did what he asked, holding the light steady as he finished up. "Thank you for doing this. I know it's not the way you'd like to be nursing your hangover."

"Don't worry. I'll find some way to torture you next time your hungover," he deadpanned.

She playfully slapped his thigh and laughed, knowing she was in for it the next time she came to work with a hangover. Sam slid out from under the sink, sitting up as he put all the tools back in the metal box that was on the floor next to him.

"I mean it," Andy said with a tight-lipped smile. "Thank you."

"Anytime for you, McNally."

Their eyes locked as they remained still, their faces incredibly close now that Sam was no longer lying under the sink. He tucked a stray hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her cheek, snapping his hand away only when he saw Marie walking back into the room.

"You're all set, ma'am," Sam said, looking over Andy's shoulder at Marie.

"You are such a dear, both of you. Thank you," Marie said as they stood up.

"Glad we could help," Sam said.

Marie walked them to the front door, and Sam turned to face her as she opened the door. "I'm sorry for your loss. I didn't spend much time with Benny, but from what McNally tells me, he was a good kid." After saying goodbye to Marie, Sam glanced at Andy, silently letting her know he'd wait for her at his truck.

Sam walked down the porch steps, and Andy stayed back to say goodbye to Marie.

"Don't let go of that one," Marie said.

"We're not, he's not, we're just partners," Andy said, stuttering over her words.

Marie let out a small laugh with a big smile. "I see the way he looks at you, dear. I see the way you look at him. You never know when life will throw you a curveball. Don't miss out on something because you're scared."

Andy let the words sink in as Marie reached out to embrace her in a quick hug. "If you ever need anything, call me," Andy told her as she began to back away. "I'll never forget what Benny did for us."

With one last smile, Andy waved goodbye and joined Sam in his truck.

Sam pulled up outside of Andy's apartment and she hesitated getting out. "I have a cure for that hangover," she said. "If you, uh, want to come up, I could make it for you. As a thank you for tonight."

He knew he should say no. Them alone in her apartment was a recipe for disaster. She was still his rookie. Hell, she was his rookie who was dating a detective. But his body had a mind of its own, his head nodding as he turned off the truck. "That'd be great."

They walked up to her floor and she fumbled with her keys, suddenly nervous. "I'm sorry, um, if I added to your hangover today. I was trying to make your day easier, and it just…" She looked over at him as she opened the door.

"You did the right thing, coming to me, admitting you lost the guy. You can always come to me, McNally. Hangover or not," he said, smiling warmly at her.

There was a chill in the air, but heat coursed through her with the intense way he stared at her. She led them into her apartment, tossing her bag on the couch as she made her way to the kitchen.

Sam took in the quaint surroundings of her studio apartment, an area set up as a bedroom to the right, an open living area in front of him and a kitchen to the left. He assumed to doors off the bedroom led to a closet and bathroom. It was decorated simply, but with a style he thought fit Andy perfectly. It was warm and inviting, just like she was.

"So, what's in this miracle concoction you're making?" he asked, leaning against the wall behind her in the kitchen.

"If I told you, you wouldn't drink it. But it always worked for my dad," she said, putting things in a blender. "It might not taste fantastic, but you'll wake up tomorrow feeling 100 percent better."

Once the ingredients were blended into a smoothie-like texture, Andy poured it into a small glass and reached out to Sam. "I promise, it works," she said, smiling.

He took it from her, questioning his decision when he got a whiff of the drink. "This smells like death, McNally. Sure you aren't trying to kill me?"

"Just drink it. You'll thank me in the morning. Or, you could just suffer through the night and wake up grumpy again," she quipped.

"I don't get grumpy," he said, still eying the liquid he held.

"Whatever you say."

With one last look at Andy, he closed his eyes and gulped down the drink she'd made for him. It tasted better than it smelled, but was still horrible. But on the off chance it would work - and because he didn't want to prove her right on the grumpy factor tomorrow - he downed the whole glass. "That was…" He licked his lips trying to get the taste out of his mouth. "Something I'll never forget. Maybe an incentive not to get drunk at the next poker night," he said with a laugh as he walked over to her and placed the empty glass on the counter beside her.

He couldn't take his eyes off her, and the way she lit up the room as she smiled at him made his heart feel that increasingly familiar tug. She was beautiful, there was no question about that, but it was that lion's heart of hers that drew him to her. And he couldn't help but admire the fact she wasn't afraid to stand up to him, unlike the other rookies. He knew he should back away, that standing this close and letting the heat fester between them was only going to lead to what was clearly against the rules. But he couldn't. He wasn't one to play by the rules anyway.

"McNally," he drawled out her name in a husky voice.

She placed a hand on his chest, her subconscious telling her to push him away, but she couldn't bring herself to do that. Marie had told her not to be scared, and she was scared. Scared about breaking the rules, scared about ruining her career over a guy. As her eyes wandered over his face, from his eyes to his lips, she thought maybe a taste of him would be enough. That it would give her something to hold onto until it wasn't against the rules anymore.

Her hand slowly fisted his shirt before pulling him toward her. Before either of them could think about what was happening, she pressed her lips against his. There was no hesitation in his response, his hand coming to the small of her back to press her against him as their lips stayed locked together.

The kiss took her breath away. The way he breathed her in as his mouth covered hers sent chills down her spine. The kiss left her stunned, even though she'd initiated it. It was more than she expected; she thought one kiss would be enough, would get it out of her system. But now she wanted more.

It was Sam that pulled back first, just enough so their eyes could meet. She tasted the hangover cure she gave him on her own lips now as her heart beat rapidly inside her chest. He gave her a small smile as he fought to catch his breath.

Neither knew what to say after sharing an amazing kiss and they both took a step away from each other. There was a battle going on in both their heads - the need for more of what just happened and knowing how much trouble they could get into for it.

"Well, I should, uh, go," Sam said, glancing toward the door and then back at Andy.

"Yeah, yeah, it's late. You, um, you should get some rest for that hangover," she said, fidgeting with her hands.

"Thanks for whatever that was I drank," he told her.

"Thank you for helping with Marie."

They stood awkwardly smiling at each other for another moment before Sam finally made a move toward the door. Andy followed him and they exchanged 'goodnights' before she closed the door behind him and slumped back against it. She had no idea what that kiss meant, but she loved every second of it and didn't know what to do about that.

Andy broke up with Luke the next morning, before either had even made their way from the parking lot into the station. She didn't know what lay ahead for her and Sam, or even if there was a her and Sam. But she knew she couldn't keep dating Luke when her mind was overwhelmed with thoughts of Sam, so she'd caught him in the parking lot when he arrived and broke the news to him.

A short time later, Andy was in the locker room buttoning up her uniform shirt when Sam walked in carrying two coffees. "You make a habit of just walking into the women's locker room?" she quipped.

"Hey, you started it," he replied, thinking about her first day on the job.

"Is that for me?" she asked, pointing to one of the coffees he held.

"Could be for Oliver," he deadpanned.

She snatched it out of his hands and took a sip. "Hmm, exactly how I like it and not anything like how Oliver takes his coffee," she smirked.

"Yeah, well, Oliver will drink anything if it's free."

Andy took another sip as she tried to tamp down a grin at Sam's protests the coffee wasn't for her. "Thank you."

"See ya in parade, partner." He winked at her as he backed away.

When he was gone, Gail came around the corner. "You know…rookies and TOs is still a big no-no," she said, crossing her arms as she leaned against the locker and looked accusingly at Andy.

Andy glanced over at Gail before focusing on adjusting her vest. "It's just coffee, Gail. I've brought Oliver coffee a thousand times, it doesn't mean anything."

"Swarek doesn't bring just anyone coffee, Andy."

"Well, now he does," Andy replied, slamming her locker shut. "So drop it." She didn't even know if there was anything for Gail to read into about Sam bringing her coffee, but if she said anything to anyone it would stop what might have started the night before from going further. And Andy most definitely did not want that to happen.

When Sam and Andy were in their cruiser later that morning, Sam could tell something was wrong by his partner's unusual silence. "Everything okay?" he asked.

Andy sighed as she looked over at him and didn't even need to debate with herself about being honest with him. "Gail saw you bring me coffee, she started reading into it."

"It was coffee," he said, wondering how anyone could read anything into that. He'd chosen to bring her coffee because it was something natural, not out of the ordinary, but would mean something to Andy after the kiss they shared.

"You never bring anyone coffee," she replied.

Sam thought about that for a minute and realized she was right. "Okay, well, next time I'll wait to buy you coffee until we're on patrol." He glanced over at her with a smile that had her lips curving up as well. Not only did he get it, but there was going to be a next time.

A few days went by and Sam and Andy saw very little of each other. Sam had been tasked to help Jerry solve a case and Andy had been partnered with Oliver. They both spent time after shift at The Penny, but kept to their own friends.

Sam was glad when the case for the detectives was solved, and he made sure Frank knew he was available to partner with Andy again.

It was about halfway through the day when Sam and Andy were called to chase down a robbery suspect. They'd spotted him walking along a sidewalk, but he quickly darted into a park. Andy jumped out of the cruiser before Sam even had it in park, so he trailed behind her as they raced after the guy.

Sam caught up to Andy as she tackled the suspect to the ground, and he immediately saw pain etched across her face. She winced as she put pressure on her hand to cuff the guy and Sam knew something was wrong. Oliver and Dov pulled up as Sam grabbed the guy into an upright position.

"Shaw, can you take our suspect back to the station?" Sam asked as Andy stood up next to him. Oliver gave his friend a questioning look, but decided not to say anything it when he noticed Andy looked a bit shaken up.

"You're doing the paperwork on this one though," Oliver told him as he took the guy off Sam's hands and nodded for Dov to open the back door of their cruiser.

"You okay?" Sam asked as Andy examined her hand with a grimace.

"Yup, perfectly okay," she replied, trying to stick her aching hand in her pocket.

Sam quirked his eyebrows as he tugged at her wrist. "Lemme take a look."

"It's nothing, I'm – "

"Fine? Yeah, okay." He let out a small sigh at how tough she tried to be. "It's your gun hand, I gotta make sure it's not broken." That got her to stop trying to pull away from him, and instead she held her hand out as she leaned back against their cruiser.

"I hit it on the fence back there," she said, glancing back at a wrought iron fence. He cringed knowing that had to hurt. He turned her hand over in his own and she stretched her fingers out showing him nothing was broken. "It hurts, but it's not broken. I'd be in a lot more pain if it was."

He was still holding her hand, but his eyes had lifted to meet hers. "You should put some ice on it. You're probably gonna have a nasty bruise."

She nodded in agreement. "I will," she said barely above a whisper. She was surprised any words came out at all, with how close they'd somehow gotten. She waited for him to say something, but all he was doing was staring at her.

His eyes bounced between her brown orbs and her lips. He remembered how sweet she tasted, how soft her lips were. He wanted to feel them against his again. As their eyelids fluttered shut and were about to close the remaining distance between them, a honking horn down the street had them jumping apart, arms dropping to their sides.

"I, uh, think we have a cold pack in the med kit," Andy said, quickly moving around the cruiser to the trunk.

Sam came up beside her as she nervously fumbled through a bag. She knew the cold packs were there, but she was so flustered from their near kiss she couldn't focus. Sam reached a hand into an outside pocket of the bag and pulled out a cold pack. She rolled her eyes when he looked at her tongue in cheek, obviously entertained by what he was witnessing.

"Um, what would you think about getting some dinner tonight, you know, someplace other than The Penny?" he asked as he cracked the ice pack to get it cold.

Andy grinned at him. "I think I like that idea."

He handed over the ice pack, his own lips curving into a smile. "Then I guess we should head back to finish our paperwork," he said, shutting the trunk.

They walked to their respective sides of the cruiser, before pausing and looking at each other over the top of the car. "You know, you might have to do all paperwork, with my injured hand and all," she said teasingly, waving her hand in air.

"Eh, I'll bribe Oliver," he replied, and they were both chuckling as they got in the cruiser.

That night, Sam took Andy to a quaint restaurant a few blocks from her apartment. Conversation was easy and time flew by, even long after they'd finished their meals. It was late by the time they finally left and he drove her home.

"I had fun tonight," Andy said as they stopped in front of the door to her apartment and faced each other.

Sam matched her smile with one of his own. "Me too, McNally."

She took a step closer, so their chests were almost touching and Sam's hand found its way to her hip. He saw the desire in her eyes and knew his reflected back the same. But he also knew this was wrong; that the simple fact that she was his rookie and he was her TO made this forbidden. He knew they were at the brink of something, with a fork in the road placed in front of them. The happiness of the one path was clouded by the idea he could cause her to lose her job.

Before he could let himself get lost in her, he did what he thought was the right thing. "This….This is against the rules," he said, his voice soft and a lot less strong than he would have liked.

"I didn't think you played by the rules," she smirked, resting a palm against his chest.

"But you do."

The smile fell from her face as she tried to figure out what was behind his words and this sudden change. "Sam, I…" Her mind was racing. Did she do or say something wrong? Did he not have as good as time as she did tonight? Did he not feel the same way she did? And then it clicked; he was trying to protect her. Jumping into this relationship - a rookie and her TO - was dangerous. There was no question it was against the rules. But she didn't care. Yes, she always wanted to be a cop and she loved her job, but that would never get her through the night. A job wouldn't be there to care about her, to make her laugh, to enjoy life with.

Sam couldn't tell what was going through Andy's head, but her silence told him he was right to put the brakes on whatever this was they were doing. He dropped his hand from her hip and took a step back.

His movement snapped Andy out of her own thoughts, and she realized he was waiting for her to say something. "Sam. Wait." She took a step toward him and grabbed gently on his forearm. "I started breaking the rules the second day I knew you. I...I…" She closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts so she could get the words out. "I don't want this to end before it's even begun. I enjoy spending time with you. I wanna see where this goes."

"Me too," he admitted.

She slid her hand down his arm until she twined her fingers with his. "Then why'd you try to push me away?"

"I can't ask you to risk your job. Worst case for me is I get chained to a desk," he replied.

"You're not asking me to risk my job. I'm entering this with my eyes wide open," she told him, inching even closer as she spoke.

He cupped her cheek with his free hand and she felt his calloused thumb brush across her skin. "We'll have to be really careful until you're cut loose," he said.

"I know. We have to hide this. We can't tell anyone."

"Not even Nash." He watched her nod in agreement. "Are you sure you're ready for all this?"

She radiated confidence now. "As long as you're here, I'm ready for anything."

He felt her breathing pick up as he closed the remaining distance slowly, taking his time to watch her eyelids flutter close and her mouth curve into a smile before his lips finally met hers. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him even closer, as his circled around her waist. Their lips moved slowly and passionately as they tried to savor every moment.

It was the slamming of a door somewhere in the building that finally pulled them apart. Sam brushed his nose against hers as they both caught their breath. "I should go," he finally said.

Andy relaxed her arms until her palms rested against his chest, her lips tugging upward when she felt his rapid heartbeat. "Yeah," she said reluctantly. She pressed a chaste kiss to his lips before they stepped apart.

"See ya tomorrow, McNally."

"I'll buy the coffee." She watched him walk down the hall and disappear down the stairs before entering her apartment, smiling like a giddy schoolgirl.