AN-Due to popular demand, this is no longer a one-shot. Enjoy!

Marvelous, Magnificent McNally: Chapter 2

Andy's not sure how long she's been waiting. She drinks her cold coffee in the end simply for something to do but never loosens her grip on his hand. She closes her eyes but doesn't sleep, instead focusing on the sound of Sam's steady breathing. The doctors were pleased that Sam woke however brief and although they told her to go home she refused and they didn't argue, understanding her need to be there.

Andy shifts uncomfortably in the chair unable to let go of Sam's hand. With the blinds closed, and the gentle glow of the lamp, she rests her head on the mattress by his hand and sighs.

What was it her dad always said? 'Love...it will either make you or break you.'

She had broken Nick for sure, maybe even Gail. Then there was Marlo who left the hospital heartbroken. And Andy? Well she was just so tired of making the wrong choices that hurt people. Herself included.

As Andy opens are eyes and stares at their joined hands, the only thing she is truly sure of is being right here by Sam's bedside. It was more than just being the right choice; it was the only thing to do.

Giving Sam one last glance she closes her eyes once more.

She doesn't know how long Sam had been awake. Her never once called her name, moved or made a sound as she sat by his bedside.

It's only when he reaches out with his free hand, and strokes the side of her face does she realise he is.

Still Andy does not open her eyes even though her heart tightens at the contact. She knows Sam wouldn't do this if he thought she was awake. He always had trouble letting himself go emotionally, and she never understood why. It was one of the many things they had never really discussed in any great detail throughout their relationship.

Sam touches her again a little firmer this time, his whole hand moving to her hair and as he weaves his fingers into her scalp a sigh escapes her mouth. His hand stills at the sound but he does not remove it from her hair.

Her eyes fill with tears but she keeps them tightly shut and turns her face into his hand savouring the moment. Andy wants to open her eyes, she really does but something stops her. Suddenly the tears escape, and Sam must have noticed as they fall down her cheeks and wet his palm.

But she still can't look at him.

"Andy, what's wrong?" he asks full of genuine concern.

"I've made a mess of everything," is all she replies, shaking her head.

Sam doesn't respond to her words but she knows he's heard her, and continues to stroke her hair instead.

Andy wants to say more but she doesn't, not quite sure what it is that she wants to say anyway. As his fingers create a gentle rhythm, she finds herself relaxing.

"I missed you," he says simply.

She still can't reply, and he says it again. "I missed you Andy. I missed you every single day."

Finally she opens her eyes.

Lifting her head to finally look at him, she finds her tears silenced by those simple words. Sam looks at her then, and she meets his gaze.

"I need...I... did you miss me, Andy?" his question is tinged with uncertainty.

Miss him? Those words came nowhere close to expressing how she feels, but it will do for now. All she can do is nod, before burying her face back into his hand.

"I've made a mess of everything too," he whispers, as he continues to stroke her hair.

"You know when I was in the academy; we were warned about having relationships with our work colleagues. They said it could get complicated and messy. I've done it three times now," Andy reflects.

Her head is back on the mattress by his side not quite looking at him, and somehow it's easier to talk more freely this way.

"They were right about it being complicated and messy," she adds.

"Yeah, well I'm not too far behind you," he replies in his usual dry Sam Swarek manner she has come to know so well. "I really outdid myself this time," he adds.

Marlo. Her name hangs in the air and they're both silent.

Andy's waiting for Sam to say something seeing he is the one that put her name out there but he doesn't. She starts to ramble in the way she does when things become awkward.

"I spoke to Marlo and she's in a bad place right now Sam. I guess if it wasn't because of her condition you'd probably still be together," she says hurriedly.

Andy has no idea why she is saying this; probably on a subconscious level she's testing the waters.

Sam clears his throat and in a raspy voice he responds. "Do you think I care that Marlo needs to take meds? None of that would matter if I loved her. I care about her welfare but I never loved her."

Andy sits up a little at his response, but just has to press a little more, so she was sure.

"Marlo is in love with you Sam, she told me."

Sam clears his throat again before speaking. "What do you want me to say to that Andy?"

She's not entirely sure but Sam sounds a little irritated.

"Nothing I guess," she says lowering her eyes wondering if she had pushed too much.

She could feel their conversation heading south fast.

"You talk about Marlo, what about Collins?"

"What about Nick?" And it's her turn to be a little irritated now. "We weren't together Sam. You had another girlfriend so I was getting on with my life," she defends.

"I know that. I'm not fighting with you Andy. You asked me about Marlo once so I'm asking you the same thing back. I'm just interested Andy. Just tell me one thing about being with Collins that you couldn't get from me?"

There's no anger is his tone, it's a sadness mixed with curiosity.

Andy looks up the moment the question leaves his lips. "Sam..." their eyes meet and she shakes her head.

"Please Andy. You looked pretty happy with him. I want to know what he gave you that I couldn't."

Something was happening between her and Sam right at that moment and she didn't want to lose it. That connection. She takes a breath and speaks honestly.

"Nick had real conversations with me Sam, and he wasn't afraid to tell me what was on his mind. We spoke about everything and anything when we were together. I learnt more about Nick than I ever did about you. You're... You can be difficult to get close to. It's like there's an invisible line you won't allow me to cross."

Sam blows out a breath of frustration. "Yeah, I know."

And she wasn't expecting him to admit that so easily.

"I know I'm not so good at opening up. I just find it hard to let my emotions show. What you and Collins have makes me jealous. You are so free with one another. I wished we were like that." He closes his eyes and shakes his head woefully.

"We were free," Andy says softly. "We had lots of fun together, and I was my happiest with you... Sam?"

Sam doesn't reply, he had fallen asleep.

Sam wakes up about twenty minutes later, his face screwed up in pain. He presses the button on his morphine pump, and Andy patiently watches his face relax as the drug takes hold.

"Hey, you're awake..."

Sam groans a little but stares at her intently.

"So are you gonna tell me why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you find it so hard to open up to me?"

"I like to leave the talking to you. You do it so well," he teases drowsily.

Andy smiles and pokes him playfully.

"It's just a question Sam. Don't stonewall me, we're trying to have an open conversation."

"Oh...that's what we're doing." He closes his eyes and lets out a slow breath, his face turning more serious.

"I guess it's because I spent most of my childhood in care."

There is a moment of silence but there's no room for awkwardness because they both know he needs to explain if they have any chance of moving forwards.

"Sarah and I were in care for a long time. But we had to be separated for a while because of her problems..."

Andy remembered what he told her about Sarah.

"She was the only person I felt connected to growing up. I always slept in the same bed as her when I was a kid but they wouldn't allow it in the home. So it was just me alone for a while and I...I don't know but it affected me."

Andy cannot believe Sam never mentioned something so important to her before, but right now wasn't the time to analyse that. Instead she squeezes his hand encouraging him to say more.

"All the social workers wanted me to do was talk. Talk about my feelings, talk about my parents, talk about Sarah. I couldn't stand it because it wouldn't fix Sarah, make my mother take us back or answer why our dad walked out on us when I was a baby."

He never said anything else after that. Andy was surprised that he had said so much, when she had said so little.

"I never knew you were in care Sam. Why did you never tell me?" she asks.

"No point. It's in the past."

It clearly wasn't in the past judging by the look on his face, but she didn't press further. She realises it had taken a lot for him to reveal that much, and she's grateful.

"Sam...you know you can always talk to me, right?"

He squeezes her hand in response, and she squeezes it back. And somehow everything seems better.

"Andy, I'm sorry for hurting you."

Her eyes fill with tears again, as she takes a shaky breath.

"Sorry seems a little pathetic but it's the truth. I...I want us to be together but better than before. I know I'm not the easiest person to be with..." he starts softly.

"No you're not," she agrees. "But if we do this we need to both give it everything we have."

Sam opens his mouth to respond, but Andy holds up a hand to stop him.

"No Sam, let me finish. Too many people have been hurt to get us here today including us. You just can't walk away when things get too tough. You need to talk about your feelings more, and not push me away. And I will promise to do the same."

For a moment, Sam's eyes drifts shut, and he nods slowly as if he is absorbing this new idea.

They are interrupted by the nurse, who comes in and checks his vitals. As the blood pressure cuff begins to tighten around his arm, the nurse looks at the two of them and then to the clock on the wall.

"Breakfast is on its way. I'll have them bring extra so you can both eat something. You must be starving," she adds staring at Andy.

"Thank-you," Andy replies. "How's he doing?"

The nurse removes the cuff and writes some notes on Sam's chart. "Mr Swarek is doing well all things considered, the doctors will make their rounds in a couple of hours and you can ask any questions then." She smiles before leaving the room.

Andy plays with his wrist band too tired to say much more. She glances up at Sam and notices he is watching her, she was about to ask why when an assistant brings their breakfast to the table and pushes it towards Sam's bed. A very large bowl of porridge, one pot of fruit and two cups of tea. Sam looks unimpressed. He was a full cooked breakfast guy, or an English muffin with scrambled eggs. And he only ever drank coffee.

Andy stands and sprinkles a little packet of sugar on the porridge before stirring it and bringing the spoon to Sam's mouth. She doesn't talk and neither does Sam.

He takes a small mouthful, and then Andy takes a spoonful too.

There's something reassuring about having breakfast with her Sam thinks. He wants to tell her so but she brings the spoon to his mouth for a second time and he opens his mouth for another bite. He can see she's exhausted and doesn't want to talk right now. He smiles as he swallows another spoonful and she smiles back.

They eat the rest of their breakfast in silence.

"When did you last sleep?"

Andy shrugs, pushing the breakfast things away.

Sam moves in his bed, groans from the pain, and then moves some more.

"There's space for two now."

Andy wants to say no, that they still need to talk, but she finds herself sitting on the edge of the bed before sliding next to him and resting her head on the pillow near to his shoulder. His hand brushes her waist and she instinctively moves closer

"So are we doing this?" Sam asks.

"Yes Sam we are," she says tiredly, her eyelids growing heavy.

"So it's alright to kiss you?"

She finds herself nodding and smiling at his apparent shyness. Her eyes remain closed as Sam's brings his lips to hers. He places a soft kiss on her mouth, before deepening it, and it's like they've never been apart. As he breaks the kiss she kisses him again hard pressing herself closer. Sam buries his face in her neck and holds her tighter. They're both overwhelmed and she's shaking a little.

"I love you Andy," he whispers.

"I love you too."

Andy feels her body shutting down, her exhaustion finally taking hold.

"We still need to talk," she says sleepily, moving even closer to Sam and resting her head in his shoulder.

"I know."

There's silence for a few beats, but then. "Hey Andy?"

"Hmm..."

"I'm glad you're here with me."

"Me too."

He drops a tender kiss on her forehead, and closes his eyes too.

AN 2: This really is the end. I need to stop now before it turns into a multi chapter!