Hi guys! I know it's been a while since I've been around, but I thought of this idea and had to write it. Its just something short and sad. Hope you enjoy.
Inspiration came from a sad six word story I found online.
Sorry in advance for any spelling/grammar errors.
Disclaimer: I do not own Rookie Blue or the short story referenced below.
She worked hard. He drank harder. – Shail
She gets the feeling that something is off when she's called into Best's office one morning while her and Oliver are back at the station after bringing in a perp. The look on Frank's face when he calls her name across the bullpen implies that whatever he has to tell her, it isn't good.
She passes Peck sitting at her desk on her way, who follows her movements with narrowed eyes. "What'd you do this time?" she says quietly with a wicked smirk. Andy shoots her a quick glare and makes her way to Frank's office. She knocks quietly and he motions for her to come in.
"McNally, please, sit down."
She walks to the middle of the room, hesitant to sit down for some reason. "Is something wrong, Sir?" Her eyebrows knit together with concern.
Frank hesitates before suggesting again, "I think you should sit down."
"I'm fine," she insists. "Just please tell me what's going on."
He takes a second and assesses her stance and the nervous way she's fidgeting with her hands. "McNally, it's your father."
Tears automatically spring to her eyes but she bites them back. She knew this wasn't going to be good, she just knew. "What about him?"
She's not a very religious person, but in the moments it takes Frank to answer she prays to God above that it isn't what she thinks it is. That he hasn't finally done himself in with drinking for good.
"He was in a car accident early this morning."
Her eyes have betrayed her and tears start gliding their way down her face. "And?"
Frank shakes his head minutely before answering. "I'm sorry, Andy. He didn't make it."
She feels like she's been hit with a big bag of flour right in the gut when she leans over and braces her hands on her knees, gasping for air as she tries to keep from sobbing in front of her boss. Keep it together.
Out in the bullpen, Oliver looks around for Andy, doughnut in hand. He walks up to Peck who doesn't look up at him as he approaches. "You seen McNally around here?"
Her gaze flicks up from her paperwork and points her pen in the direction of Best's office. "She's in there."
Oliver looks up in time to see Andy double over and brace herself on her knees. His eyebrows knit together when he glances back at Gail. "Any idea as to why?" He says around a mouthful of doughnut.
Head still buried in her paperwork she answers in a slightly irritated tone. "No, why?"
Oliver doesn't answer; he just keeps staring at the scene playing out in Best's office. Gail notices his silence and looks first at Oliver and then follows his gaze to Frank's office.
Oliver looks at Peck before muttering, "I'll be right back."
Gail nods as though she's not really listening to him and continues to watch from her desk as Oliver heads back to booking where Sam is stationed for the day.
Frank gets up and she doesn't register his movements until she feels his hand on her back.
"Andy, you need to sit down."
She sits without argument and looks at Frank through teary eyes.
"What happened?" She chokes out.
"Officers found his car wrapped around a pole out near the beach around five this morning. He was gone when they got there. They took him to the hospital and tried to bring him back, Andy, but it didn't work. He had been there for an hour or two before they found him."
She nods ever so slightly before releasing a shuttering breath, tears running freely down her face. "Had he, um… Had he been…" Her eyes dart around the room before meeting Frank's.
He nods sadly. "There's evidence to suggest that he had been under the influence of alcohol but we won't know anything for sure until the toxicology reports are in."
Andy breaks their gaze and buries her head in her hands while trying to keep herself somewhat composed until she can reach a more private place to break down.
"You'll be given today and the rest of the week off to get plans and arrangements organized and then we'll talk about when you want to come back."
She quickly looks up, but he raises his hand to cut her off. "No arguments on this McNally. Now go home and get some rest. Swarek should be around here somewhere to give you a ride home."
Andy stands on shaky legs and just reaches the door when Frank speaks again. "And Andy?" She turns around to look at him. "I'm sorry about your loss," he says with sincerity.
She nods sadly, not quite meeting his eyes. "Thank you, Sir."
She exits Frank's office and all but runs to the locker room to get changed, ignoring all of the questioning glances she's sent along the way. She wants, no, needs to get out of there. Andy sits on the bench in front of her locker feeling like she can't breathe as she takes in gasp after gasp of air.
Well, the day is finally here. Her father finally did it. The thing that cuts her the deepest is the disappointment. He had been doing so well. She had been proud of him for the first time in fifteen years since her mother left them. She had gotten used to not carrying around the burden of cleaning up his messes and making excuses for him every time he got himself into trouble. She was happier, and she thought he had been happier, too.
She quickly changes into her civvies and gathers her things, planning to just walk home. She avoids everyone's questioning stares as she hurriedly exits the station, not hearing Sam calling her name as he tries to catch up with her.
As soon as her feet hit the pavement of the parking lot, she breaks into a dead sprint.
Later that evening when Sam gets out of work, he heads to Andy's apartment. He knocks first but when she doesn't answer he uses the key she gave him for emergencies. Sam enters slowly, taking in her jacket, shoes, and work bag skewed around the little foyer suggesting that she had just dumped everything when she had gotten home.
He makes his way through the rest of her apartment, finally finding her curled up in bed. Her back is to him, but he can tell she's awake by her erratic breathing and the way her body shakes and sobs wrack though it.
"Andy?" He questions quietly.
She doesn't acknowledge his presence or answer his question. Sam walks over to her bed and crawls in behind her.
Sam wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her back against him, trying to comfort her as she cries. He speaks in almost a whisper. "Wanna talk about it?"
When that doesn't do anything, he tries again a few minutes later. "I tried to be here sooner but Frank needed me to stay in booking. I swear, the full moon really brings out all the crazies."
For the first time she acknowledges his presence and turns in his grasp. She tangles her legs with his and buries her head in his chest as the sobs intensify. Her arms slide around his waist and she pulls him impossibly closer, hugging him tighter than he had ever been hugged. Sam kisses her temple and tucks her head under his chin and rubs his hands up and down her back.
"Andy, I'm so, so sorry," he mumbles.
She continues to cry for a period of time until she quiets down and her breathing becomes even. So quiet that he wonders if she fell asleep.
When she speaks, her quiet voice is rough from crying. "Everything leads back to her, Sam. He was doing fine until last week. Even when we saw him for dinner a couple nights ago he seemed fine. God, I don't know how I didn't see it…" He can feel her heavy, hot breath against his chest.
Last week. She's referring to seeing her mother at a crime scene, ironically working as a social worker. That stung her down to her core.
Sam had been hovering over her like an overprotective maniac ever since and had just started to back off at the beginning of the week. At first his hovering was sweet and comforting, but after the third day she got sick of it. They fought, which resulted in harsh words, doors being slammed, and them spending the night apart. In the morning, he pulled her into interview one and they both apologized and made up. Made up a little bit too well; they were late for parade.
He nods and pulls back to look at her face. Sam looks deep into her eyes and sees such vulnerability, such hurt and pain that it makes him a little shaky as well.
Andy takes this as encouragement to continue. "And you want to know the worst part?" She asks, her lip quivering. "When Best told me I actually felt a little relieved, Sam. Because I won't have to be constantly worrying about if something will set him off, make him fall off the wagon. I won't ever have to break into his house on my lunch break and find him out cold on sleeping pills and booze."
She pauses, takes a shuddering breath and meets his eyes. "I mean, who does that Sam? What awful person…"
Sam takes her face in his hands and cuts her off. "Hey, look at me. Thinking that doesn't make you a bad person, Andy."
She scoffs and looks around the room but he tightens his grip and makes her meet his serious eyes again. "I mean it, Andy. And beating yourself up about this isn't going to help the situation."
She sighs and starts to break down again. He wipes her tears away with the pads of his thumbs and kisses her forehead.
"What's going to happen to us, Sam?" She asks quietly though the tears.
He leans back to look at her, his brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean, Sam. What if we don't make it? What if I end up like her, and I leave?" Her words get louder and more rushed as she speaks. "And how much more can you take? Haven't we put this relationship through enough in the few months we've been together? I mean, how're we going to make it if all this bad shit just keeps…"
She's cut off when Sam puts his mouth over hers with a soft kiss. The kiss holds reassurance and promise. She loses herself in it for a moment. It's like he has the power to clear her mind and calm her down with just a simple kiss.
When he breaks the kiss he holds her gaze and speaks softly. "Andy, I'm not gonna walk away. Yes, a lot of stuff has happened and it's hard to keep going but I'm not anywhere close to throwing in the towel. This relationship is worth it. Okay?"
She hesitates but eventually nods, her teary eyes never leaving his. He leans in again, just a hair away from her lips when he says "you're worth it, Andy."
A/N: That's it! Hope you liked it and thanks for reading. I was planning on this being a oneshot, but if there's popular demand I can make it into a twoshot. Thanks again!
