Disclaimer: Rookie Blue and the characters in it are not of my creation. This makes me sad :(

Author's Note: I absolutely LOVE the response I've gotten already for this story! The Favorites and Story Alerts are great! And, as always, I love the reviews the most. I hope everyone's read the prequel Alone At Last. It's good, I promise, and has some cute Andy/Sam moments thrown in. Here's the update; review if you like!

The duo got ready without much ado and were on their way to work in no time. They were silent until the first stop light. "McNally," Sam started.

"Yeah?" Andy turned to Sam a little surprised; they'd always been comfortable with being silent with one another, hopefully that wouldn't change just because they were living together.

"Were those rules for me or for you?"

The question caught her off guard. Of course they were for both of them, why would they be for just one or the other? Both of them had initiated awkward sexual encounters in the past and she could tell Sam was gaining confidence in their 'relationship'; she'd just wanted to make things clear. But were the rules really for both of them, or were they just for her? "They're for both of us, Sam. We both need to be adults and not rush ... anything."

A little hope struck in Sam's heart. There was something to be rushed? They had something that could be rushed! He knew it was weak and pathetic that he was practically taking all of her words and analyzing them, he also knew it was severely dangerous to do that with someone as against committing as Andy McNally, but he couldn't help it sometimes. He just reminded himself that he shouldn't run out and get her coffee this time. He would wait and know for sure ... he would try anyway.

They pulled into the parking lot and Andy jumped out with her backpack. Sam offered to take it but she declined, saying he already had his own bag. The two went back and forth about their bags all the way into the station, Andy not even noticing when Sam held the door for her. She also didn't notice the body that was standing just in front of her until she knocked into it.

Pulling back and apologizing profusely, she didn't stop until he turned around. The sight of Luke immediately stemmed the flow of apologies. "Andy, I've been waiting for you!" Luke said, a look of relief obvious on his face. Sam came up beside Andy and stood protectively next to her.

"What do you want, Luke?" Andy asked defensively. She was done and nothing he could say would bring her back to him. The sooner he realized that, the better. She would be professional, it was her job, but anything more than that wasn't going to happen.

"Do we need to have an audience?" Luke asked with a disgusted tone, observing Sam.

"I'm just here to make sure you don't hurt her," Sam answered smugly.

"Mind your own business -"

"I'll see you in parade, Sam," Andy interjected, cutting Luke off. She didn't really want Sam to go but having them fight over her wasn't something she wanted, especially first thing in the morning.

Sam looked at Andy and tried to decipher the look in her eyes. He decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and assume that she was just taking the mature route by ensuring no fighting, instead of sending him away because she didn't want him there. He nodded and left them but didn't head to the locker room, instead he stood outside the weapons closet and kept an eye on the pair. Luke had another thing coming if he just thought Sam would leave Andy alone with him.

The minute Sam was gone, Luke started in, "Andy, I'm really sorry. You have to know that I it was a mistake, a one time thing, and that it would never happen again. I was stupid and worrying about you and I just needed someone and Jo was there. I know that doesn't excuse it but you have to believe me." Andy listened but didn't say anything. What could she say? She knew he was outright lying, but he thought he could pull the wool over her eyes again. Luke took a step closer to her like he was either going to try to hug or kiss her. "Come on, Andy, you know I only love you. I want to be with you, I want to marry you."

"I'm sorry, Luke," Andy said, taking a big step away from him. "But I don't want to marry you," and with that, Andy began to walk away.

A strong hand grasping her upper arm stopped her escape, however. She turned and saw Luke's eyes that had been pleading only a second ago, turn hard and slightly angry. "Andy, you're not listening to me. It was a mistake, it won't happen again, and I want you to come home." On the two words he emphasized he tightened his grip and brought her back over to him.

Andy could feel the other officers who had just entered the precinct watching them and, not wanting to cause a seen, she didn't struggle. Luke wouldn't be stupid enough to really hurt her in the middle of the precinct, would he? "Luke, please let go. I need to get ready for parade," Andy said in a controlled voice only loud enough for Luke to hear. She looked up into his eyes again and although they weren't as scary as they'd been a second ago, they were still cold; not the eyes that she'd seen while they'd been together.

"Andy, we need to talk about this." His voice, normally, would have left no room for discussion, but Andy wasn't discussing; she was just leaving.

"I understand what you're saying, Luke, but you're not listening to what I'm saying. Last night I made things perfectly clear that I'm done. You cheated on me Luke, and it wasn't just once; I'm not a complete idiot. I don't want to marry you anymore. Now, please let go of my arm. I don't want to be late for parade and I still have to change." Even with his hand squeezing her arm off she wouldn't flinch and she wouldn't be intimidated. She stood her ground and said her words with conviction, trying to keep the situation as calm as possible.

Luke wasn't in on the whole 'calm' thing, though. He jerked her close to him, still keeping his grasp on her arm firm, painful almost. "No, Andy -" he started to say, but that's when Sam showed up.

"Okay, Callaghan, I think you've had enough time with her." Sam took Andy's other arm, lightly, with barely any grip, and tried to lead her out of Luke's grasp. "She really needs to get changed if she's going to make it to parade and you should really head in there too." His voice was casual, soft, but his eyes held a warning fire that Andy would have been scared to cross.

Luke was different though, "What happened to you going into parade, Swarek? This is between me and my fiancé." Luke's words were biting but Sam didn't flinch a millimeter.

"She's not your fiancé anymore, Luke," Sam tried in a very soft, empathetic tone. "The sooner you realize that, the better off everyone will be." The discussion was solely between the two men now and Andy, while they were distracted, was trying to take her arm out of Luke's grasp. She was like a rag doll between the two.

"What the hell do you know of it, Swarek? You're just jealous because she chose me instead of you. Why don't you get off your fucking high horse and leave us alone," Luke burst furiously. He let go of Andy's arm and got in Sam's face. It wasn't just the cops who had just walked in who were staring now, it was the entire precinct.

"Why would I be jealous of the dirtbag who cheated on her and got whiskey and Bloody Mary dumped on his head? I'm not jealous she chose you over me because now it's over between you two and I still get to have her for the majority of the day. And I'm certainly not jealous of your sex with Bimbo Barbie," Sam said with a smug smirk.

That's when Luke lost it and Andy jumped between the two. "Luke, don't," she yelled. Andy was smaller than Sam but she did her best to cover as much of him by standing on her tip toes and flinging out her arms. The detective's eyes flew down to Andy's, halting his fist in mid air, and he looked menacing. "This isn't helping anything," Andy insisted.

Luke lowered his fist but he still looked pissed. Andy lowered her arms and got back to her normal height, turning slightly to Sam. He was standing his ground, looking just as menacing as Luke, fists clenched at his sides. Andy brought her right hand to his chest and wrapped the other around his bicep, trying to pull him away. When he didn't budge she whispered, "Come on, Sam. We need to get ready for parade." Finally, he moved his feet but kept his eyes locked on Callaghan. The other officers began to disperse and make their way to parade while Andy dropped Sam off at the men's locker room before making her way to the women's.

Andy McNally was the first one out of parade. She waited just outside the door and waited for her partner to finally come out. Of course he had to be the last one out the door. The second she saw the mess of dark brown hair and broad shoulders, she grabbed his bicep, yet again, and this time dragged him to the men's locker room. Once the door was closed behind them, she locked it and whirled to meet him. Sam gulped upon seeing the fire in her eyes; he was in trouble. "What the hell was that, Sam? When I told you to get ready for parade, I meant it!"

"I don't remember a rule being made that said I have to take orders from you now that we're living together. If that's the way it's going to be then maybe you should look into that hotel." Sam knew he didn't really have a reason to be upset, he knew that she dragged him away from what could've been another week's suspension, but all he'd been doing was trying to help, to keep her safe.

"Sam, this isn't about taking orders, this is about thinking logically and you weren't this morning. Did it even cross your mind that I was trying to avoid exactly what happened by sending you away? I know you and Luke hate each other; I didn't want a fight to break out and if I hadn't pulled you away that's exactly what would've happened." Her voice was loud and she was breathing heavy. Sam was sure that she didn't exactly realize how close she was to him but he wasn't about to object.

"Andy, he was hurting you! I'm not about to let that douche bag hurt you anymore than he already has, especially physically," his voice matched hers but the closeness he was giving them was intentional. If only he could get this close to her when they weren't yelling at each other. "Can I see that arm?" he asked frustratedly, motioning to her left arm.

Andy, being as stubborn as ever, ignored him, "Sam, I'm a big girl, you need to let me handle my own fights. You're not always going to be around and he's my problem. You need to let me take care of it."

"Okay, I still want to see that arm," Sam tried to interject.

"I was doing the mature, adult thing by talking to him but you had to play the hero and try and pick a fight with him -"

"ANDY!" Finally she stopped and looked at him. He couldn't believe that she didn't notice when she started rambling sometimes. Once she stopped, though, she realized and blushed accordingly. "May I please see your arm?"

At this she rolled her eyes but conceded, unbuttoning her black shirt and exposing the top part of her left arm. It was red still and Sam could tell there would be some minor bruising. It took all his strength not to tear out of that room and pound Callaghan's face into his desk. "It's going to bruise a little," Sam said in a very strained voice.

Andy looked down and saw what her partner saw but instead shrugged her shoulders and started buttoning her shirt back over her tank top. "It'll be fine; I've had plenty worse."

"Andy, it doesn't matter how much worse you've had, a man hurting you isn't okay!" How could she be so nonchalant about it? Andy was taken aback by his concern and stayed silent. Finally, Sam took a step back and breathed through his nose trying to calm himself down. "McNally, look, I get you're a grown woman and you know how to handle yourself, Lord only knows how much shit you've gone through, but if a man is physically hurting you ... that's not okay and you can't get mad at me for stepping in and trying to stop it. That's just not the way this is going to work. I understand the mature approach and not wanting a fight, that's fine, but I'm not about to let anyone lay a hand on you. I don't care how much of you're problem they are."

For a minute, they both simply looked at each other, but then Andy stepped towards Sam and wrapped her arms around him. He was stunned into immobility at first, but then her warmth against him was too much to pass up, and he held her as well. Her head rested on his shoulder and she squeezed his chest close. "Thank you, Sam," she whispered.

The smell of her hair was intoxicating, like always and the feel of her body against his almost drove him crazy, but it was her words that surprised him. The fight was over, just like that, and they were fine again. "No matter what you do, I'm always going to protect you. I'm not going anywhere, McNally." He placed a hand in her hair and kept her close to him.

"Good."