Sam had just pulled out of the hospital parking lot, they had sat in silence on the ground for over a half an hour, Andy lost in a daze, Sam sitting silently beside her. Oliver had text Sam saying not to worry about the car, he'd get a ride with Jerry and pick it up later. "Andy, I'll stay with you as long as you want me too, but I need to stop over at mine and grab some clean clothes, are you okay with that?"
"can we just stay over at yours for a while?" Andy asked.
Sure, if that's what you want. Do you want me to stop at yours and you can grab some stuff in case you want to stay over?"
"No, I'm fine for now, if I do stay I can take some of your clothes."
"Okay" Sam replied and the rest of the drive was in silence. They pulled up outside Sam's, he got out and rounded the car to open her door, he opened it and stepped back when she didn't appear he bent down and looked inside. She was still sitting with her belt on staring at his house. "Andy? hey, we're here." he said placing his hand on her shoulder. She shook the thoughts from her head and undid her belt, she climbed out and headed up the driveway. Sam watched her go, she was so lost he didn't know what to say to her. He just followed quietly behind her.
Once the door was shut behind him Andy lowered herself onto the sofa and lay back grabbing a pillow and clutching it to her chest. She began to feel tired, so tired she was fighting to keep her eyes open. Sam had told her he was going to take a quick shower to make herself at home. She dragged herself off the sofa and her feet carried her up to his bedroom, she opened the door and walked to his bed. She loved his room, all she could smell was him, it was weird but it seem to calm her, she kicked off her shoes and lay on the bed. Before she knew it sleep had won.
Sam emerged from the shower with a towel wrapped around him, he assumed Andy was still down on the sofa. He opened his bedroom door and went inside, he went to his dresser and pulled out boxers and socks before turning to his closet, he stopped halfway over and looked to his bed. There was Andy fast asleep on his bed snuggled into his pillow. He moved to the bed and pulled the blanket off the end up over her, he kissed her forehead and went back to getting his clothes. He grabbed his jeans and shirt from the closet and left the room quietly.
Andy was tossing and turning, she was sitting with her dad in his apartment "so you like Swarek do you ?" Tommy teased.
"what ? Dad no, he's just being really great with me and the whole Luke thing. We've grown a lot closer.. as friends" she added as her father smirked at her.
"Spending a lot of time with him aren't you?"
"He's my partner dad, and my friend. I spend the same amount of time with him than I do Traci, Chris and Dov". Tommy raised an eyebrow "what ? I do … okay, maybe I spend a little more time with Sam."
"Why don't you ask him out yourself? instead of waiting for him to ask you? Times have changed Andy."
"Daaad" Andy groaned "I am not sitting here discussing my love life with you."
"So you do like him?" Tommy chuckled.
"Okay, fine, you win" Andy held her hands up. "Yes I do like Sam, a lot, but I don't know if he likes me, happy?" She huffed.
"Trust me honey, he does like you. I see the way he looks at you, that is love right there. I say go for it, what have you got to lose?"
Andy scoffed "uh how about my pride, my dignity and I'll never be able to look at him again."
Tommy chuckled again "Andy, he loves you, you love him. I'll bet my life on it you'll be married or at least engaged in the next year, trust me girlie I can read both of you."
"come on dad, I just broke off one engagement and you're predicting I'll be engaged again next year, seriously?"
Tommy turned serious "well that Callaghan is an ass, he never deserved you. I knew you were never happy with him, he still has a lot to answer for. I don't know why you didn't let me just shoot the bastard after that."
"Because you would go to jail maybe. And Sam, Jerry and Chris beat you to it." Andy smirked as she remembered the day her friends ran him and Jo from the Penny, they both Transferred within a week.
" I have lived my life I easily would have done time for my only daughter. Okay kiddo I have to get going, I am meeting Greg and Martha for Lunch soon."
"Oh okay dad tell, Uncle Greg and Aunt Martha I said hello, I love you, call you after shift." Andy jumped down of her stool, kissed her father and headed out the door. She smiled when she heard him yell "love you too, go get them Copper. And ask Sam out!"
Andy bolted up in the bed her face stained with tears, it felt so real. She did have that conversation with her dad a couple of weeks ago. She jumped when something touched her "it's okay, its just me, you were tossing and turning." Sam said from beside her.
Andy turned to face him "sorry, I was just so tired, the couch wasn't doing it for me, hope you don't mind."
"It's fine Andy, you feel like you could eat?" He asked. "Even just toast or something? You haven't had anything since dinner yesterday."
"yeah I think I could manage some toast" she said getting up off the bed.
Sam pushed her back down "you stay here, I'll get it for you."
"Sam it's fine, I'll make it."
Sam sighed, he knew he wouldn't win this. "you can come watch but I'm making it. Before I forget, your phone rang like a million times so I silenced it." he said as they walked down to the kitchen.
"Okay thanks, did you look to see who it was?"
"Gary, Glen" he clicked his fingers "Greg that's it and someone called Pauline, plus all your friends at the station. I didn't answer any of them, figured you could of used the sleep." Andy paled "what is it?" Sam asked coming over to her.
"It's my Uncle and Aunt, Dads brother and sister. God I hate her, but I guess I better call Greg, he can tell the witch. Do you mind if I use your phone? Mine is nearly flat."
"Here use the house phone" Sam said nodding towards the living room." I haven't seen my cell since we got back here ."
Andy was inside on the phone for over a half an hour now. Sam had stopped himself seven times already from going into her, he could hear her crying as she re told her uncle the story. Ten minutes later she came back into the kitchen. "
"Him and his wife are going to drive down in the morning, along with my cousins. So if you don't mind can I crash here for a couple of days? I'll let them stay at my house, but I can stay at Traci's or Chris's if it's any trouble. I don't want to get in your way."
"No, no trouble, you can stay here as long as you like. Do you want me drive you over to get some stuff ?"
"Um- no I think I'll be okay here until the morning. I have to meet them there in the morning anyway." Andy looked at the floor "Sam? Do you think you'd be able to come with me to see them?" "
"Yeah that's no problem, I can go. Here" he handed her a plate. "sit down and eat that. I'll just go make up the spare room for you, Sarah has stuff all over the place."
"It's fine really, I've seen that room. I can take the couch I don't mind."
"Andy I'm not letting you sleep on the sofa, remember the last time we fell asleep there? Both our backs were killing us, we had to do desk duty the next day."
Andy giggled as she took a bite of her toast. "That was different, we slept half sitting up and at opposite ends. That movie really was boring I don't know why you picked it."
"Still your not sleeping on it. You either wait until I at least clear the bed, or you sleep in with me or I take the sofa." Sam replied seriously.
Andy moved closer to him "I guess I'll go with option two then" she said as she slipped past him, toast in hand.
Sam was kicking himself, why did he ask her to sleep in with him? he didn't think he'd be able to control himself for a full night of her beside him. Last night didn't count, the alcohol helped him drift off. He followed Andy to his room and watched her take one of his shirts from his closet.
"Do you mind if I take a shower?" Andy asked.
"Sure work away, I think Sarah might have left some of her stuff in the spare room, I'll go check." Sam replied as he went to move around her.
Andy grabbed his arm. "No it's fine, I'll just use whatever you have in there." she said still holding onto him.
Sam chuckled "Andy all I have is men's shower gel, you'll smell like me, I can route out Sarah's stuff I don't mind."
"Sam really it's fine, I don't care what I use."
" Alright then, Go get your shower. I'm going to run to the store to get something for dinner."
"Okay" Andy grabbed the shirt and some of his sweatpants and headed off for a shower. She had heard the click of the door so she knew Sam was gone. She was about to pull off her jeans when she felt her phone vibrate in the pocket. She Pulled it out and debated on weather to answer it. It was her aunt again they had never seen eye to eye, she had once told Andy she was a mistake her father was stuck with after her mom left. She sighed she'd have to see her soon, she pressed the answer button "Hello" she muttered.
"Well if it isn't the saint" her aunt spit. "You know this is all your fault don't you? He only went to them meetings because you were whining about his drinking."
"EXCUSE ME!" Andy yelled. "Don't you dare speak to me like that, I have just lost my dad I am in no mood for you. So if you have nothing civil to say don't call again". Andy yelled trying to hold back the tears.
"No I don't actually, I just called to let you know my feelings you spoiled little brat."
"Go to hell you old bat" Andy yelled and hung up, she walked back to the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed . Her breathing had quickened and she couldn't see her eyes were blurred with tears, she let out a scream and broke down in sobs.
Sam had opened his door just in time for the scream, he threw the bags on the floor and ran to his room. "Andy!" he yelled as he ran into his room, she was again in a ball on the bed. "hey" he whispered sitting beside her. "what happened?" he asked as she threw herself at him.
"It's all my fault!" she cried "if it wasn't for me, he wouldn't have gone to them meetings."
"No Andy, he needed help, he was doing this for himself too." Sam replied rubbing her back.
" Well my aunt seems to think different." She sniffed. "She called me and said horrible things. You know she told me when my mom left I was a mistake my dad was stuck with."
"You're not Andy, he loved you with everything he had, he did everything for you because you are his little girl." Sam said pulling her out so he could look at her. "You gotta remember the good stuff, don't listen to her she's just grieving too, she doesn't mean any of it."
"You know my dad said he bet we'd be married or at least engaged in the next year?" she smiled as she remembered their conversation. "He seems to think you love me and I love you"
Sam smiled too "Tommy is smart man, he can read us" Sam brushed some hair out of her face "you know I'm always here for you right ? No matter what it is."
"I do, which is why I think we should cool whatever is happening between us for now. I'm not ready Sam, I'm sorry I shouldn't have led you on. I do want to be with you, but I think I need some time to adjust to all of this." she hung her head as she spoke the words she didn't want to. She just wanted to be with him forever but she knew it wasn't fair on him, she needed to be alone for a while."
She was surprised when Sam tilted her head back up and kissed her softly "I'll be here when you're ready Andy. I'll wait as long as you want" he winked at her. "Just make that kiss last."
Andy's smile grew "thank you." She said pulling him into a hug. "I do you know."
"You do what ?" Sam asked.
Andy pulled back to look at him "I do love you, my dad is right I was just to stupid to see it."
"Andy you don't need to tell me all of this, you can tell me when I take you out."
"I need you to know this Sam, I don't want you to think I'm stringing you along."
"Andy I would never think that, but if it makes you feel better I might just love you too."
Sam smirked as Andy shot her head up to look at him. "might?" she squeaked out.
Sam smiled "no might, I do, I so do love you." He took her hand. "Have for the past two years."
Andy moved closer to him "just so we're clear, we love each other?" Sam nodded "but we're not doing anything about it just yet?" Sam nodded again. "Okay since we've cleared that up, I am going to take a shower."
Ten minutes later Sam was in the kitchen when someone knocked on his door, he went and opened it. "Hey" Traci said as he moved to let her and Chris in. "I uh have Tommy's stuff, I thought Andy might want them. The hospital gave them to me after you took her home. I had a feeling she'd be here."
"yeah she's here, she's just in the shower. You can go up to my room, I think she might be out now."
Traci nodded and climbed the stairs. She knocked on the door. "Andy it's me" she called and waited for a reply, she heard a muffled come in. She opened the door just in time to see Andy pull a shirt over her head. "Hey" she said as she sat on the end of the bed.
"Hey" Andy replied. "What's up?"
"I came to see how you're doing and to give you this" Traci held out a large brown paper bag. "It's your dads stuff" she said cautiously watching her.
Andy stopped brushing her hair and stared at the bag, she hesitated then moved to take the bag off Traci. She sunk onto the bed beside her and opened it, she pulled out his clothes, and held them up to her nose, tears formed in her eyes as his smell filled her nose. "Thanks Trac" she choked out. She put the clothes on the bed and took out his wallet, opening it a photo fell out she held it in front of her and let her tears fall on it. He had a photo of her and Sam messing out in the stations parking lot, they didn't know the picture was being taken, they were both laughing as Sam had his hands on her like he was tickling her. Andy turned the photo over and a sob escaped her mouth, her dad had wrote the date and a message on the back my Angel finally happy in love was scrawled in his handwriting. Andy pulled the next photo out, it was of him and her the night she got cut loose. On the back he had wrote 2nd proudest day of my life, the day she was born being my 1st. She placed that beside the other and pulled out the next, it was of her Traci, Chris, Dov and Gail in Tommy's house when Andy stayed there after Luke cheated on her, they had stopped by to cheer her up. On the back he had wrote she has the best friends anyone could ask for. She chuckled and handed it to Traci. "remember that night? We were like teenagers, my dad ordered us pizza and made us hot chocolate, then made up the living room for a sleepover."
"yeah" Traci studied the photo and smiled. "That was a good night, he had so many stories about you."
Back in the kitchen Sam had just handed Chris some coffee "so how has she been?" Chris asked.
"She seems okay today, her aunt called she said som-"
"That old hag, what did she say this time? You know she's given Andy nothing but trouble since her mom left, its like she blames her. You know she told her after Luke cheated on her that she deserved it, she probably made his life a misery like she did Tommy's. She really is a witch Sam, she said it all in front of us. I thought Traci was going to punch her." Chris said annoyed.
"Yeah she told Andy this was her fault and called her a spoiled brat." Sam said also getting annoyed. He couldn't wait to meet this woman and put her in her place. God help her if she speaks to Andy like that in front of him.
" Is she coming to town?" Chris asked.
"Yeah, she'll be here sometime tomorrow." Sam replied.
"Whatever you do Sam, do not leave her alone with this woman."
"Oh I wont Diaz, trust me. This woman will not get away with anything while I'm around."
Up in the bedroom Traci and Andy were sprawled out on the bed laughing at Stories Tommy told them. He had told them about a few incidents involving Oliver when he was a rookie. Seems he was the Epstein of the group. Sam was the Andy, Frank was the Gail, Jerry was the Traci, and surprisingly, Noelle was the Chris. "I cannot believe he done that seriously, Dov wouldn't have even done that." Traci laughed.
"What was it my dad said he said to the woman? I'm sorry mam, this man claims this bag is his I'm sorry but I have to give it to him, he knows the contents of the bag" Andy said in her best Oliver voice.
"Yeah that woman's reply was comical your dad just sat and watched it kick off" Traci laughed again. "That is my bag you dumbass. How many men do you know that walk around with a pink juicy couture bag? He only knows what's in it because I had it opened in my cart in the store. The woman then snatched her bag off Oliver and smacked him with it." both girls laughed again.
Chris made his way up the stairs, followed by Sam. He knocked on the door and let himself in. "Sorry guys, Trac we need to go we got a call out." He walked over to Andy "hey, I'm free later I'll stop by, love you" he kissed her on the forehead and walked back out the door.
Traci climbed off the bed. "Andy I'll stop by after shift if you want me too, in the meantime call me if you need anything" She hugged Andy and followed Chris out of the room.
Sam walked them to the door and said goodbye. He made his way back up to Andy, she was on the bed with the photos. She traced her dads figure with her finger, her eyes welled up again. Sam climbed on the bed and settled beside her. "what ya got there? he asked. Andy didn't answer she turned her body towards him and snuggled into him. Sam pulled her closer "you need to talk Andy I'm here." Andy just nodded and buried her head in his chest.
They both sat in silence for nearly twenty minutes, until Andy spoke. "I didn't know he had any of these." she said holding up the photos. Sam took them and flipped through them. "I have them on my dresser at home, my dad must have taken them and got copies. I knew they'd been moved but until now I never knew it was him. I always thought Traci or Chris had looked at them while I was out of the room or something." "
"Actually it was me." Sam replied. "One day you were still in the shower when I was picking you up, remember you had given me a key off your new place?" Andy nodded against him. "I let myself in after knocking a couple of times, I thought you were still asleep or I never would have gone into your room. Anyway, I went in there, obviously you were in the shower. They just jumped out at me, I had a look at them and decided I wanted a copy, you looked so happy in all of them. Even the one with you Traci and the other guys. That was the same day, well you know what happened."
Andy sat up and looked at him. "You took them?" She whispered. He nodded not knowing if she was upset at him or in general. "How did you get them back? they were there that night, I remember looking at them thinking I needed to buy frames for them, and how did my dad end up with them?"
"Funny story" Sam chuckled "we weren't together that day, you were with Noelle. I ran into the picture place copied them and as I was walking out I bumped into your dad and they flew all over the floor. He helped me pick them up, I didn't notice it was him until he spoke, he asked me was into stalking his daughter now."
Sam went into a day dream as he remembered the conversation. He knew he had to hurry, Epstein was getting restless in the cruiser he could see him through the window. He told him if he sat still for five minutes he would drop him off at Sue's for lunch so he had time to himself to get to Andy's and put the photos back. He had just finished and was on his way out when he bumped into a man and they flew out of his hand. "Sorry" he muttered. "in bit of a hurry today" he said as both men bent down to pick them up.
The man stalled on handing back one picture. "Taken up stalking my daughter now Swarek?"
Sam's head shot up and he came face to face with Tommy McNally. He stood fully "hey Tommy, what brings you here? and no not stalking just .." He trailed off, he couldn't think of an excuse.
Tommy chuckled. "ask her out Sammy, you guys have a connection, I know she likes you." Sam just looked at him, Tommy chuckled again. "Don't give me that were just friends speech, Andy's been trying to spin that on me for ages now."
Sam chuckled "yeah, guess were past the friends faze now."
"Way pass" Tommy slapped him on the shoulders "she's waiting on you to make your move boy, told me with her own mouth, now I'll keep this between us if I can have copies of these." he held up the photos.
"Sure" Sam replied walking back to the machine "I'll get there Tommy, I'm just waiting for her to get herself back to normal after all that's happened with Callaghan an all."
" Don't leave it to long Sammy" Tommy said as he pocketed his copies. "Now get outta here before young Dov hurts himself, he's bouncing around like a child out there."
Sam looked to his car he had forgotten all about him. "Uh, yeah, I better go, it was nice seeing you" he called over his shoulder.
"Yeah you too! Hopefully I'll be seeing a lot more of you soon! Hint! Hint! Sam!." Tommy chuckled as Sam stopped dead in his tracks, shook his head and hurried back to his car.
"Sam?" Andy called.
He shook his head clear "Sorry, went into a daze there. What did you say?"
"I said what did you buy for dinner?" Andy said looking at him suspiciously. She'd never tell him but a few words slipped out of his mouth while he was in his daze. Something about her dad and him having a chat about them liking each other.
"Oh yeah that? Well it sorta got squashed when I heard you scream, so dinner is now a take out on me." he smiled at her and leaned back against the headboard.
Andy nodded and snuggled back into him thinking about her dad. Seems he was trying to play cupid and had questioned Sam like he had her. Andy smiled, he did pay attention to the little things that mattered to her.
