AN1: Thanks for the reviews - you are all lovely and the best, I tell you!

AN2: Hmm. Well, this came out as a scene, rather than a drabble/moment/thoughts from Sam's head. But hopefully you can still pick up where I do think his head is at – lol!

Disclaimer – I do not own Rookie Blue.

He's got his head in his hands (trying to talk himself off of some sort of McNally induced proverbial ledge) when he feels a sharp, boney finger poke at his shoulder.

"Yo. Swarek. Leo wants to know if he can throw some ball to Boo at the park today."

(A couple of days after Sam picked Boo up from the pound, they did a meet-the-family sort of deal with Nash and her kid. Turned into an easy two hour distraction for the lot of them – Nash shit-stirring Sam about what sort of D she thought he might be while the dog and the boy chased after a flat tennis ball they'd found.

In the few weeks since then, they've struck up an easy friendship – mainly shared the stories about goofball moments Jerry and Andy style - over the odd drink at The Penny or a game of pool…they'd also had the occasional bout of boxing together when either one of them felt like shit).

Sam blows out some air, considering. "Not unless you give me cheat notes for the exam."

Nash rolls her eyes (even harder than Andy ever would) "Don't even think you fool me, Swarek. I know you've been working your ass off with that shit".

Sam snorts, takes a peep at his computer screen.

He feels Nash's eyes narrow at the side of his head, bites his lip as she clucks, "what gives?"

Next thing he knows she's right the heck over his shoulder – face peering front and forward - suspiciously - at his emails.

They both go for the mouse at the same time – Sam rushing for delete, 'Detective' Nash all over it with the same tenacity that he saw her work with on that last ugly case.

He waits for a gasp - cops an air-swing to his head instead. "You've got to be kidding me. Sam!"

The four unis in their vicinity all turn their heads.

"Keep it down," Sam whispers regaining some of his composure (despite the fact that he's unbelieving of his own general stupidity right now).

"What the ever loving…. You told me one message. ONE"- ooh boy, Sam is trying to keep his face from breaking, but she's adopted that tone of voice she used with the serial killer they managed to track down a week ago.

Sam hits delete – several times, before he bounces out of his chair - Nash hot on his heels as they make their way into Interview 1.

...

"Trace," he starts…then stops (realising that little gaffe), watching on as she doubles over laughing… finally manages to haul herself back online.

"Don't 'Trace', me… McSwarek".

Sam swears…he straight out effing giggles at her – manages to disguise it with a snort and simultaneous kick to the empty suspect chair.

Nash is all back to business before he knows it, pulling the chair out further and pushing him down to a "sit".

She goes the long way around - slowly - until she reaches her standard interrogation spot.

…

(The confession to her about the first coded gifts to McNally didn't take much –

Three days after the ball in the park, Leo wanted to help take Boo for a walk. Nash stopped talking – and walking - in mid-sentence … of some blowing off of steam after Jerry's ex had been in touch:

"You know where Andy is," she stated without a semblance of questioning in sight.

He'd told her "no," but didn't even attempt to go down with a lie (he really respects Nash and her own honesty is the thing). "But I did need to make sure she knew that I wouldn't give up without a fight". -

- Nash's face seriously split in two when he told her he'd channelled through the book and his keys. Nash stood back and looked him up and down for an awkward moment or two - told Sam she would've gagged at the sap... had it not been something that reminded her of what Jerry might do.

"I don't know all the details. I only know enough to keep checking that she'll be okay". He'd grabbed Nash's arm to make sure he had her full attention "You didn't ask me – I didn't tell you".

Nash had then turned and jogged backward to catch up with Leo – all the while setting forth on Sam with a barrage of rules, conditions, and "keep the hell aways").

…

Sitting here with her now… well. He thinks this little pseudo interrogation might go a similar way.

They sit there in silence for a good 3 minutes before Sam finally breaks (really can't help himself – really is happy for Nash's capacity to dish out her direct but no bullshit support).

"You saw the email. That's all there was" Sam says making a play with his best poker face.

(Bloody Jones and her emails – she could've called him up. This one? High priority again – whatever code that means this time around.

Swarek,

DJ insisted that I made sure you knew… she loves the book.

Take care,

Jones).

Nash doesn't blink an eye.

"Serious. It's the first I've heard since - then." And he is serious. He's been keeping his head down. Hitting the gym early, working day shifts, doing the D stuff at nights, walking Boo any chance he gets. He's even taken up every single dinner invite hurled his way by Ollie…and Frank and Noelle. Godssake, he barely stopped himself short of inviting Diaz and Epstein into Poker Night recently.

Nash narrows her eyes, takes a good long hard look at him before she finally crosses her arms and leans on the table, asks him very, very cautious – like he's holding an effing grenade "are you going to send anything…words or otherwise…back?"

They stay looking at one another for a while – neither daring a blink.

Swarek can't answer the question with any sort of godforsaken confidence. "Honestly? I don't know. I have no idea".

Nash sighs and shakes her head, her shoulders slump way on back.

She perks up again shortly after - opening up to plant her hands on the table – arms wide apart. "If I knew where she was I'd go punch her in the face right now."

Sam's eyebrows shoot up to his hairline, stifles a surprised laugh.

Nash shoots him one of her easy grins and a loud laugh back.

…..

As they open the door to walk out of the room – talking what time to meet at the park – They come face to face with Peck.

She's looking at them suspiciously, won't let them past… "tell me everything you know."