Hey guys! I am completely overwhelmed at the amazing feedback and responses you all have given me in response to my first chapter...totally beyond my expectations! I'm thrilled you like it so far, hopefully this chapter will live up to your expectations!

Hope you enjoy! xx

Andy felt like the world had come to a standstill.

The situation was unreal to her, disjointed in some ways. She couldn't think one decisive, clear thought, since a million different voices were all talking in her head at once. Seeing his face again was unnerving, though exhilarating at the same time. She cocked her head to one side, as if to see him more clearly, and her mouth fell open slightly. The rational part of her mind finally got through to her after what seemed like minutes of standing mute and dumb.

"Yes," she blurted out, her heart speaking before her mind had a chance to catch up. She felt a blush creep up her cheeks at her heartfelt admission, and she scrambled to fix it.

"I mean, not as much as you missed me," she added, the slight upward curve of her lips bringing a bigger grin to Sam's own face. He gave a low, throaty laugh that made Andy's heart jump, the sound music to her ears. She had forgotten how much she had missed his laugh.

"Still as insolent as ever, aren't you McNally?" he teased, and just like that, her world was as it should be. Not that it wasn't before, but somehow it seemed better now, more right. She wanted to cross the room and hug him, to feel his arms tighten around her in an embrace like they had so many months ago before he had left.

And then a single thought drifted into her consciousness, shockingly clear. She was half surprised she hadn't thought it sooner.

"What the hell are you doing here Sam?" she asked. Her tone wasn't accusatory, but rather inquisitive.

"Wait, you're Sam Swarek?" A third voice entered the conversation. Andy turned to see Jake standing next to her, a confused expression on his face. She had completely forgotten that her partner was standing there.

"You must be Jacob Wells," Sam said, his voice changing from teasing and light to terse and professional, extending his hand towards him.

"Call me Jake," he replied, shaking it firmly. Andy felt oddly uncomfortable, having her former partner and current partner in the same room, talking to each other. But she shouldn't, right?

"Officer Swarek has a proposition for you, McNally," Best said brusquely as the two men returned to their previous positions, with Sam leaning casually against the staff sergeant's desk and Jake standing beside Andy. Was it just her imagination, or was her partner more tense than he had been a moment ago?

"A proposition, sir?" Andy asked, the want of clarification evident in her question. Sam nodded once and stood up straight.

"I've been undercover for eight months now," he began, and it was all she could to do to stop rolling her eyes at the obvious statement, "and there's been a bit of a hitch in the operation."

"What sort of hitch?" she asked, her brow furrowing as she crossed her arms.

"Well McNally, I'll tell you as soon as you stop interrupting me," he said, shooting her his dimples to show he didn't mean it. "My cover, Alan Mitchell, is an up-and-coming drug dealer and, without having to let any more information out, I'm about two to three weeks away from making some major arrests." He shot Andy a look, and she understood its meaning completely.

Remember when you busted me your first day? I was two weeks away from an arrest then as well. Ain't life funny like that?

"So anyways," he continued, "Alan Mitchell has a partner, a Claudia Thomas. Now, she's a ghost, doesn't actually exist, but we made a cover for her that's pretty legitimate, in case someone decides to go sniffing around. Claudia was never meant to be involved, but in an unfortunate turn of events, my soon-to-be 'bosses' want to meet my lovely partner and bring her into the business deal."

"And you need a Claudia Thomas," Andy stated, still slightly confused at why exactly Sam was here.

"That's where you come in," Sam said simply, and the room was instantly filled with tense energy. Andy could almost feel it humming around it. She could practically cut the tension with a knife.

"No way in hell," Jake said, his jaw clenched as well as his fists. "You have an entire undercover division filled with women who are fully qualified and trained to go into the field with you, so why don't you just pick one of them to be Claudia?"

"Because I want McNally."

The weight of that statement was not lost on Andy - she felt the full heaviness of it. Those words made her feel oddly tingly all over. Sam turned his gaze towards her, and gave a small smirk.

"So what do you say, Andy? And I give you permission to over think this situation...just don't drag it out 'till kingdom come."

She looked at Best, who sat behind his desk with a resigned expression on his face. "Sir, do I have permission?" she asked, concerned at his lack of participation.

"Look McNally, I'm not happy about this, but headquarters gave Swarek his choice of who to bring under with him, and he chose you, though for reasons I still don't understand."

"Oh come on Frank, you saw how good she was with me last time! Give her a break, she's not a rookie anymore!"

"Yes, she is. Swarek, she's inexperienced. She was good last time, but that was a one-time, one-night operation. This is bigger than anything she's ever done."

"How long would I be under?" Andy asked, anxious to stop the already spiraling conversation.

"Two, three weeks top. Possibly four," Sam said, crossing his arms to mirror her stance. "Piece of cake for us, right?"

"Are you seriously considering this?" Jake said, turning to her, a furious look on his face. "I'm your partner, Andy! Don't I get a say in this?"

"You're right Jake, you are my partner," she said, determination settling over her features, "and as my partner, you should back me up, no matter what."

"Unbelievable," he muttered, studying the floor intently. "And you're not going to do anything about this?" he asked, looking up at Best.

"Like I said, Officer Wells, this is out of my hands."

"Come on," Andy said, her voice dropping, "this is massive for me. This could be huge. I'll be back in a couple of weeks, and we'll be back on the streets. Please, just back me up on this," she pleaded, her eyes soft as she met Jake's gaze. She could see the anger and resolve slowly crumble to resignation.

"Whatever. You really want to do this Andy, then fine, go ahead. I'll back you up. Just know that I'm not at all happy with it," Jake said, a frown fixed on his face. She touched his arm lightly with her hand, and a muscle in his jaw jumped.

"Thank you," she whispered, and he flicked his gaze towards her for a second before looking away again.

Sam bit his lip and raised his eyebrows. "Have you two settled your little lovers' spat? 'Cause I need McNally prepped like, right now," He said, breaking the icy silence.

"Officer Wells, you'll be partnered with Officer Pacelli, a temp transfer from 12th for the duration of McNally's absence. Swarek, she's all yours," Best said, dismissing the three cops with a curt nod.

Sam followed a fuming Jake out the door, holding the swinging glass open for Andy.

"Sam," she started, a cautionary look on her face as she glanced after her partner storming down the hallway.

He grinned down at her, his dark eyes swirling with a myriad of emotions that Andy could only guess at.

"Relax McNally, he'll come around. I'll give you fifteen minutes to change, then meet me in our usual spot."

"Sir?" she called out to him as he walked away, momentarily forgetting that he was no longer her training officer. He turned around with a smirk.

"The locker rooms, Andy, don't you remember? Yours or mine?"

She let out a laugh at the complete absurdity of the last twenty minutes, and his last quip had just been the icing on the cake.

"Yours."

A/N: I had to drive the plot along a bit in this one, so there weren't as many Andy/Sam solo interactions, but I promise next chapter will have lots of locker room talk and...other things.