Thank you all so much for the reviews and alerts for the first chapter - I truly appreciate it! I hope you enjoy this chapter also.

Thank you to Sairs J for the beta read and help with editing!

Disclaimer: I do not own Rookie Blue or any characters.


Sam had been waiting outside the precinct for at least a half an hour before he saw her walk out. He could tell by the look in her eyes as she walked up to the window that she didn't know what to think. She appeared to be confused, bewildered and maybe a little heartbroken. He knew he should have handled the situation at the farmhouse better but at the time, he had been in shock. The only thing he was sure of at that moment was that Andy was alive and not injured, and that was truly all that mattered to him. "What happened?" Sam asked while he looked right at her, trying to catch her glance. He wanted her to know he' wasn't going anywhere and he hoped she could see the concern in his eyes.

"I got suspended, you?" Andy asked; her hands tucked in her pocket, her scarf keeping the wind from her neck.

Sam looked away for a moment, collecting his thoughts before answering. He knew how much Andy loved her job and it absolutely killed him that she was suspended. Especially because it was a choice they'd made and one that could have been stopped. He knew she didn't deserve that, but he had expected it nonetheless.

"I got yelled at. Then I got suspended." Sam replied while trying to mask his disappointment.

He couldn't tell exactly what she was feeling at that moment, but he knew most of it was guilt. Sam knew that Andy was aware by then that it was the boat that made him, not her visits. It was his fault for not being more careful. He was disappointed in himself more than anything.

But truthfully, the past week had been the most amazing week of his life. The ordeal at the farmhouse was something he wished he could forget but what happened with Andy… Sam still couldn't process it all. But, he knew he'd go through everything with Brennan all over again if it meant he could be with Andy at the end of it.

"Sam…" Andy started, half-shrugging her shoulders in defeat.

Sam had about a thousand different things going through his head in that moment, but only one thing summed up exactly how he felt; he wanted to just be with her. He didn't want to hear she was sorry. He didn't want to hear how bad she felt that he had to go through everything with Brennan. No, what he wanted was to eat dinner with her every night, cuddle with her on the couch and talk about nothing, but everything. He hated the thought of going to bed one more night without her sleeping nestled up against him. Just him and Andy; her warm body pressed up against his until the sun came up.

It wasn't that Sam hadn't known he loved her for a very long time, but having that love reciprocated from her finally made him feel complete. That was something he had only dreamed of in the past – and he could admit to himself that he dreamed about it a little too often. But now, after a week with her, he knew there was absolutely no going back to where they were before. He refused to even consider it.

"Wanna try being normal together?" Sam asked; his heart pounding in his chest as he prayed she was going to give him the answer he wanted, and needed.

Andy smiled and he immediately melted. She didn't need to say a word – her reaction said it all. A little part of Sam had been scared that she was done, that she couldn't handle it anymore. Andy had always run from people when she felt herself getting too close, but this time, Sam could tell she wasn't going anywhere.

"And how are we gonna do that?" Andy replied, sounding slightly amused as she remembered their conversation from the past.

"I don't know. I have no idea."

Truly, Sam did not have any idea what "normal" meant in their lives. He didn't know if they would still be able to be partners when they returned from suspension. He guessed it depended on how well they could stay away from each other this time. Sam doubted a suspension could keep him away from her, but he wasn't sure if Andy felt the same way. She loved her job, a lot, and she was young. He didn't want to ruin her career.

After a long pause, Sam broke the silence.

"Look, uh, it's freezing outside," he said, looking out the windshield at the snow falling. "Let me give you a ride home."

Andy knew what that meant. In that moment, she wanted to just crumble. She had missed him so much. But Frank's orders were strict. No contact whatsoever during the suspension. In her eyes, a job was a job. Sam was so much more than that. But, if they could make it through the next few weeks, they could make it through anything. She knew Sam would never agree to just stay away from her for fun. She needed to look out for him and help him get through the suspension without getting fired.

Andy cut in, "Sam, I don't know if…"

"Andy." Sam put his hand up to stop her before she could say anything else. "As much as I want to, I'm not bringing you to my place and I'm not staying at yours. Seriously," he smiled, "just a ride. Frank's not going to end our careers over a ride home."

It wasn't until she looked up at his pleading eyes that she agreed to the ride. Andy was exhausted and freezing and walking to her Dad's would take a good forty minutes in the snow. She opened the door and hopped in, immediately feeling the heat from the vents blowing on her cheeks. Sam looked over at her and smiled. Andy smiled weakly and quickly looked away, knowing that if she looked at him for too long she would likely break down and start to cry.


They rode in silence to her Dad's apartment, where she had been staying for a few days before she bought her condo. When they pulled up in front of the building, Sam put the truck in park and turned to face her. He could tell she was upset by her silence during the ride over but couldn't find the right words to say to her.

"Thanks for the ride, Sam," Andy mumbled, not able to look into his eyes.

Andy quickly opened the door and walked around the front of the truck. Instead of continuing to walk towards the building, she suddenly turned around and froze, furrowing her eyebrows. Sam rolled down his window.

"What's wrong?" Sam anxiously yelled over to her.

"Get out!" Andy demanded; her voice barely audible over the roar of the engine

"Huh?" Sam mumbled, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Just… come over here please," Andy said softly. Sam could barely hear her. He turned off the truck and took the keys out of the ignition. He opened the door and gently stepped down from his seat. He walked towards her slowly to test the waters.

"What's the matter?" He couldn't tell if she was mad, upset or… what? All he wanted to do was demand she get back in the truck and stay at his place, but he knew he couldn't. "….Andy?"

He stepped closer to her and lowered his head to look into her eyes, which he could immediately tell were filling up with tears. The next thing he knew, her arms were around his neck pulling him towards her and she was sobbing. Despite the searing pain he could feel in his ribs from how tight she was holding him, Sam wrapped his arms around her waist and just held her.

She had wanted so badly to hug him like this when she saw him come out of the farm house. Just to hold him close to her and never let him go. He turned his face to nuzzle it into the space where her neck meets her shoulder, his lips brushing gently against her skin. They stayed this way for a long moment, until both of them could feel a chill from the winter air rising up their backs. Sam had begun kissing her neck lightly when Andy whispered,

"I thought I'd never see you again."

"It's okay, Andy." Sam replied softly, attempting to calm her down.

"I'm just so mad at myself for all of this." Andy said mostly through her teeth as she clenched her jaw.

Sam released his hold on her waist and brought his uninjured hand up to cup her face. He lightly grazed her cheek with his thumb. Andy brought her hands down to rest on his chest, putting them inside his jacket to keep them warm.

"You know none of this was your fault."

"I don't even care whose fault it was anymore, Sam." She said quietly, looking down at her hands. She knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself from crying if she looked up at him. "All I know is that Jamie Brennan tied you to a chair and beat you and…"

She stopped there, partly to catch her breath and partly to stop herself from crying again. Sam used his thumb to tilt her face up to look at him.

"It's over. All of it. I'm okay and you're okay. It doesn't matter what happened."

Andy felt the tears welling up in her eyes again. She knew he was right. It was over now, and he was okay. But when she started thinking about Sam being punched and kicked defenselessly, she uncontrollably shivered.

"Come on, you've gotta get inside. It's freezing out here," he turned her around and put his arm gently on her shoulders to guide her to the door. She leaned into him and gently put her arm around his back, careful not to put pressure on his ribs.

He walked her inside the front door of the building. She shivered as she closed the door to keep the cold out. Andy turned around to him to say goodbye. She reached for his good hand and lightly massaged it with her own.

"I don't know what to do. I can't go weeks without seeing you," she said quietly, bringing his hand up to her mouth to kiss it lightly.

"I don't want to either, but… you know we have to try. You are not losing your career because of me. I can tell you that right now."

Andy dropped her head down and bit her bottom lip to stop it from trembling. She could feel Sam's hand come up and start massaging the back of her neck. She looked up at him and he leaned in. Once their lips touched Sam doubted he would be able to stop. Her hands came up to grip his jaw to keep him where she wanted him. He licked her bottom lip to allow his tongue to enter her mouth. Andy softly moaned and deepened the kiss, massaging his tongue with her own. His hands moved down to her lower back to pull her flush against him. He groaned as she pressed her hips into his suggestively.

Reluctantly, Sam was the first to pull back.

"Andy." Sam said hoarsely, slowly opening his eyes to look at her.

When her eyes opened, they were dark with lust and his head started spinning in all different directions.

"I know," she replied and nodded. She threw her arms around his neck one more time and hugged him tight. When she pulled away he couldn't resist leaning in and lightly brushed his lips across hers one last time.

"I'm gonna miss you like hell, Andy," he whispered while his thumb slowly grazed the side of her cheek.

"I'll miss you more, Sam."

Moments later, Sam slowly backed away while their eyes remained fixed on each other. He stepped out the front door and walked back to his truck. Andy watched as he climbed in and started it up. He turned on the light in the truck so he could wave goodbye and send her a smile.

She missed him already.


Thank you for reading! I will be writing a chapter 3 soon about how I think they'll do with keeping away from eachother for 3 weeks.