AN: Thanks for the reviews! Keep them coming! I love knowing what you are all thinking!

As I read through this story and the original, I realize there are going to be some inconsistencies between them. Since I was never planning on writing this when I was writing Welcome Back, McNally, I think it's bound to happen. But, I'm doing my best to keep them to a minimum. Enjoy!

"I'll see you tonight?" Traci asked as she stood up to leave. She didn't, though. And she wouldn't until she got an answer. He was starting to understand how she worked and it was clear why she and Jerry got along so well together.

"I'll see you tonight," he confirmed and she smiled before leaving.

He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. He closed his eyes for just a second, but when he opened them, Luke was standing in the doorway and watching him.

"Callaghan," he said in greeting and Luke nodded before walking to his desk. "Congratulations on the take down."

"Thanks, Sammy," he said as he rifled through his desk. "Sorry we didn't call you in to help, but we had it covered."

How could he possibly think it was a good idea to say that? Sam scoffed in reply and nodded. "It's fine," he shrugged. "I heard all about it. You got your man."

"I got my men," he bragged and Sam rolled his eyes. "Have you seen McNally?"

"Saw her yesterday when she and Collins finished up with Frank. Why?"

"Just curious," Luke shrugged and Sam stood to leave. "Don't be so hard on her."

"Don't worry about it, Callaghan," he said before leaving Luke standing alone in the D's office.

Sam didn't understand where Luke thought he got off talking about him and Andy. He never seemed to have a problem with it and it made Sam want to strangle him. And it wasn't that he didn't like Callaghan- he did. He was a damn good detective and he was a bearable guy most of the time. He just hated that Luke had the history with Andy that he did and how it made him feel superior to Sam's own relationship with her.

As he left the station, he stopped in the locker room to see if Oliver was around. He was packing his bag when he found him. "Hey, Brother," Sam said, sitting on the bench and Oliver smiled down at him. "What's got you so happy?"

"I don't know," he shrugged and then nodded toward the door. Sam stood up and they walked out to the parking lot together. "Did you and Nash finish your case up today?"

"Yup."

"Always the conversationalist," Oliver laughed when they reached their cars. "Listen, I will see you in a couple of hours. Okay?"

"Okay," Sam said, opening his door.

"I'm not kidding, Sammy," Oliver was very serious now and Sam nodded back, rolling his eyes. "It's a big deal for McNally and Collins."

"Oliver," he sighed. "I will see you tonight. Go home, have dinner with your family, and let me know when you're on your way."

Oliver smiled triumphantly and got into his car. Sam hung back a second before climbing into his truck.

He walked into the Penny and it was more packed than he'd ever seen it. "Hey, Swarek," Luke called from the bar and he walked toward him hesitantly.

"What's up, Homicide?" He asked as he sat down next to him.

"I shouldn't have said what I said earlier," Luke said and Sam pursed his lips and nodded. "Sorry, Sammy."

"Like I said- Don't worry about it."

Luke nodded and bought him a beer before finding his girlfriend, leaving Sam alone. He looked around, but it was too crowded to find Oliver. Andy and Nick hadn't arrived yet, so he moved toward the back of the bar, right next to the back door. You never know when you need to make a quick exit.

He couldn't see the door where he knew they would enter, but he sure as hell heard the applause. People cheered, Oliver woo-ed- it was chaos. He smiled, though. They deserved it. It was their first real UC operation and they kicked ass. He knew how hard they worked and he knew enough of the take down to know just how intricate it was.

Sam watched Andy make her way around the crowd, hugging each person she came across. He watched her order a drink and get swept from table to table, from group to group. He watched as Callaghan kissed the crown of her head. He didn't want to watch any more, so he drank the rest of his beer, left the bottle on a nearby table, and walked out back to get some air.

It was a nice night, and the brick of the building was cool through his shirt. He could no longer deny it- he wanted her back. More than anything, though, he wanted her to be happy and he wasn't sure he could still give that to her. He had broken her heart and left her in that very parking lot crying. He knew now that he was crazy for blaming her for their problems. She wouldn't have left if he had never been so weak.

He heard the door open and close quickly as Andy slid out to rest against the building on the other side of the door. He crossed his arms as she took a long sip of her beer.

"I don't think you're supposed to bring those out here," he told her and watched as she nearly choked. She never took surprises very well, especially the kind that sneak up on her.

"Hey," she said as she tried to regain her breathing. He smiled at her. "I didn't know you were out here. Actually, I didn't know you were here at all."

"Yeah," he shrugged. "Well, you were busy in there. I didn't want to interrupt you or anything. I just came out for some air."

"Yeah, me too," she looked away from him and let out a slow breath as if to emphasize her point. "I sat home alone all day, so excited to see everyone tonight, but it's all a lot more overwhelming than I thought."

He wasn't expecting her to say that. While he was watching her, he could have sworn she was having a great time. He remembered what it was like, though, and he couldn't blame her. "By the time you're back at work, things will have blown over. You and Collins will be welcomed back enthusiastically, but when it comes to the job, it'll be normal."

"I just want to go back now," she told him and she looked at him again. He just nodded; he knew she had more to say. "I can't sit at home for another six days while everyone I know is working. It's only been a day and I'm already going crazy."

"You'll miss it when you're back on the streets," he warned her, even though he knew that probably wasn't true at all. "Trust me McNally. Take this time to relax. You're going though something huge; you have to decompress a little."

"I've decompressed," she laughed. He loved her laugh; it was almost childlike. "I just want to go back to how things were."

He couldn't help but agree with her there. He wished they could go back to how things were before- before she left, before he broke up with her, before Jerry died. He wasn't so sure if that was how she meant it, but that was how he took it. He couldn't look away from her, not even when she closed her eyes and turned away from him.

"You weren't at the take down," she said and he finally turned away. He wondered if she knew why he wasn't there.

"I was off that night," he told her and she glared at him again. "They didn't call me in because they thought I wouldn't be able to stay focused on the big picture. They thought I would be distracted by... by you."

"Who thought that?" She asked and he heard her defenses go up. "That's ridiculous."

"Is it?" He asked, looking at her. He shook his head and didn't wait for her answer. "Callaghan and Best made the decision not to call me up. Oliver called me after the whole thing was finished and I talked to Frank about yesterday. I would like to think they're wrong, but I can't know for sure."

"Sam, you're a cop first," Andy told him, shaking her head. She was really upset about it. "You would have been able to keep your head on straight. I mean, we're not even together anymore."

That was a punch in the gut. As if he needed reminding. "Thanks, McNally. I'm well aware of that."

"I'm just saying. I don't know, but isn't that why we broke up?" She asked and he shook his head, frustrated. "So you could stay objective?"

"Andy," he sighed, scratching his head. He wasn't mad, but he had to get away from her right now. He pushed himself away from the wall and grabbed the door handle. "I can't talk about this right now. We can't do this now."

"I don't want to get into this, either Sam," she yelled and he flinched at her tone. She stood away from the wall, squared her shoulders and leveled her voice. "I'm just confused. You should have been there the other night; I shouldn't have had anything to do with it."

"You're right," he nodded. "But we don't have the best history when it comes to undercover work. Callaghan knows that and he knows I'm not over this. He knows that the second I saw that cut on your forehead- the one you're trying so hard to hide- I would have gone on a rampage."

He didn't await her reaction, he just threw the bar door open and walked straight through the bar until he reached the door on the opposite side. He couldn't stay there any longer. He couldn't believe he had just said that to her. He couldn't believe that they had already starting yelling at each other. She'd only been back 48 hours and he was already yelling at her. They were already disagreeing about something.

When he got into his truck, he rolled his neck but didn't start the engine. He heard a knock on the passenger window and turned to see Noelle watching him. He unlocked the door and she climbed in.

"You and that rookie," she said, shaking her head and Sam let out a humorless laugh. "You're not so great at hiding your feelings, you know? Neither is she."

"Thanks, Noelle," he said sarcastically.

"Sam," she sighed and he looked at her. "We've known each other a long time, right?" He nodded. "I know how you operate. I've always known how you've felt about McNally. You're not fooling anyone. Except, maybe McNally."

"I don't know what you and Ollie want from me," he told her and she just shrugged. "Things ended between me and her. There's no going back."

"So, go forward!" She said, exasperated. "Listen. Come back inside and have a drink with your friends. Don't worry about her tonight. Deal with it tomorrow."

"Okay," he relented after a few moments and she smiled triumphantly. She was one of his best friends and she did know him better than almost anyone, so he knew he should listen to her. They both got out of the truck and walked back in together. He didn't see Andy through the throngs of people, so he let out a deep breath and followed Noelle to the bar where Oliver and Frank were saving their seats.

He actually ended up having a pretty good time. Having his oldest friends there with him was all part of the fun. He still spent too much time looking for Andy and watching her when he eventually found her, but his friends let it slide. He watched her leave with Collins, Nash, and Peck and let out a sigh of relief. How did he end up outlasting the guests of honor when he had planned to leave hours ago?

Just then, Oliver launched into a story about something that happened with Epstein earlier that day and he remembered. He had more than McNally to think about. He had a demanding job and even more demanding friends.