It makes me really happy that everyone is liking my version of normal for Sam & Andy. :) This is the last chapter and I hope everyone enjoys it! Thank you all for reading and reviewing – reviews are wonderful, so please keep 'em coming. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue. (oops, forgot this in the first two chapters)

Chapter 3

"Thanks for coming with me," Andy said as they walked out of the bank.

"Wouldn't want to be anywhere else," Sam replied, smiling.

She thought back to a conversation they had in his undercover apartment.

"I already told you, I took the day off to finalize my mortgage," Andy said as she tried to find her cardigan which had been tossed under the bed.

"Right, right, right. So, uh, which one did you buy?" he asked.

"Oh, you know the one on the corner with all the windows? Well, I actually showed Sam all the pictures before he disappeared."

"I remember. It's beautiful."

"Thanks, you wanna come?" she asked, knowing he couldn't, but holding out a small bit of hope he'd say yes.

"I wish I could, but I gotta turn these cameras back on and start behaving. Another eight hours without a wire, Boyd might actually notice," he replied.

It meant a lot to her that he said he wanted to come, but even more that he actually did come with her. It was boring, just watching her sign a few forms, listen to the banker tell her the rules and penalties if she failed to pay. Hell, it was boring for her and she was the one getting a new condo out of all this. She couldn't imagine how Sam sat through the meeting with a smile on his face and a hand on her back offering silent encouragement.

"Let's get over to my future home so I can give my realtor this paperwork and show you my condo," she said excitedly, as they walked hand in hand to his truck.

It was a quick drive to the condo and Andy started feeling anxious as they walked into the building. She quickly retrieved the key to her condo from the realtor, who was busy showing another unit to a small group of potential tenants, and led Sam to the corner unit that would soon become her home.

She looked down at her hands as they fiddled nervously with the key. Sam had teased her about moving into a renovated toilet factory, and while she knew it was all in fun, what he thought about the condo mattered to her. She wanted him to like it because his opinion meant a lot.

Sam could feel the nerves radiating off of her and put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. She felt the warmth of his touch through her shirt and closed her eyes briefly as calmness soared through her.

She unlocked the door, walking in with Sam at her heels and stood in the middle of a large open room. "Here it is," she said, arms wide open. Sam followed her gaze, starting with the wall to wall windows on the far side of the room allowing bright natural sunlight in that shined off the wooden floors. He looked up at the high ceilings, which gave the room a larger feel. The one brick wall gave a unique feeling to the apartment, that it was old and new all at the same time.

"It's beautiful, Andy."

"You haven't seen it all yet. Let me give you a tour." The smile on her face matched the excitement in her voice.

Sam followed her as she pointed out a small kitchen, the area where she planned to put a dining room table, the bedroom and the bathroom, where he fought not to make any toilet warehouse jokes. There would be plenty of time for that, he thought.

"It's a great place. I can see why you love it," he said as they walked back to the living room.

"It's me. I knew the moment I saw it," she said, turning around in a circle to take the room in. "I can't wait to decorate it."

He smiled and listened as she went on about where she was going to set up the couch, a bookcase and the TV, and what she envisioned would go on the walls. He loved seeing her excited. "I can't wait to see it finished," he said when she finally took a breath.

She realized she'd been babbling and her nervousness returned as she looked down at her fidgeting hands. "It's just, I've never had a place feel like home like this place does. My apartment wasn't homey. It was just, well, the only place I could afford. And the condo with Luke, you know, we moved everything from his place and it never really felt like it was mine." She frowned thinking back on living with Luke.

Sam's hatred for Luke resurfaced. Andy had just been a trophy he could hang off his arm, the beautiful girlfriend he could make other guys jealous of. He never truly allowed her into his life.

"But this place, it's mine. No one can tell me what to do," she continued.

"If you need any help, you know I'm here," he offered, wrapping an arm around her waist.

She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'd like that. You did say you were good with tools."

"I did."

"And, um, what you think about my decorating ideas is welcome too." It was hard for her to vocalize, but she wanted his opinion. Wanted his ideas and suggestions. He'd never judge, never tell her what to do or demand something. She knew he'd be there just to support her.

"I can do that."

"So, you really like it?" she asked.

"I do, Andy. And I promise to keep my toilet factory jokes to a minimum," he smirked.

She poked him in the side before dragging him to the door. "C'mon, I have to get the key back to the realtor. It's not officially mine yet."

That night they walked up to the door of The Penny when Andy suddenly stopped, turned around and put a hand to Sam's chest. "Did you take any pain meds today?" she asked, a worried look taking over her face.

"First thing this morning, but it's long since worn off. I'm okay to drink tonight," he replied, knowing immediately where her concern was coming from.

"Okay," she started to turn around, but stopped. "Wait, are you in pain? Cause we don't have to – "

"It's not that bad. Stop worrying." He placed a chaste kiss on her lips before turning her around and pushing the door open. The warmth of the crowded bar hit Andy and she shrugged off her jacket as she made her way over to her friends. She glanced back at Sam and smiled as she pulled up a seat next to Traci. "Andy!" her friends excitedly welcomed her to the table.

Sam saw Oliver and Jerry at the bar and sat down on a stool next to them. "Hey Sammy," Jerry said as Oliver welcomed him with a pat on the back.

"So, uh, enjoying your time off? Getting nursed back to health?" Oliver asked chuckling, and not so discreetly looked in the direction of Andy.

Sam waved by down the bartender before responding. "I'm touched by your concern Ollie. I'm recovering just fine."

Trying to avoid anymore razzing from his friends, Sam decided to change the subject. He'd been wondering something for the last few days anyway. "What have I missed? Any comings or goings in the department?"

Jerry understood what Sam was hinting at, glancing down at his drink before responding. "Boyd's suspended pending the outcome of the investigation. We have a lot of evidence against him. He won't be coming back."

Sam nodded in thanks and took a swig of his beer. He knew Boyd would be fired, it was only a matter of time. But he wanted it to happen quickly in hopes that Andy would stop blaming herself. When Boyd was fired, maybe she'd get it through her head that he was one who caused the operation to go south.

As if reading his thoughts, Oliver looked over at Sam. "Everyone knows it was his fault. No one blames you…or her," he said.

"Ollie's right Sammy. He knew about the boat. He knew about the accident. He's done," Jerry said.

Sam wanted to enjoy the evening, so decided it was time to switch the conversation again. He nodded up at the television that was showing the hockey game. "So, who's taking this game?" As expected, Oliver and Jerry began to bicker at who was the better team. Sam chuckled, and took Oliver's side as the debate continued.

Over at the rookie's table, Andy sipped the beer Dov had given her. "So, what have I been missing?" she asked.

"We think Noelle's pregnant," Dov blurted out.

"What?" Andy wondered how she missed this piece of gossip.

"Yeah, she's barely come here lately and when she is here she doesn't drink a sip of alcohol," Traci explained.

"Wow, that's great for her and…Frank, I'm guessing?" Andy was pretty sure she had seen some sparks between their sergeant and Noelle, but she couldn't be sure.

"That's our best guess," Traci answered.

Andy was happy for Noelle, but hated to admit some of her joy was because this news might become the talk of the division, taking the focus off of her and Sam when they return.

"Where's Gail?" Andy asked, looking around.

"Oh, she's been doing her own thing lately," Traci replied.

"Yeah, she's moved on to a certain blond detective," Chris said, nodding toward the far corner of the bar. Upon closer look, Andy saw Gail and Luke, head's leaned close and looking like they were sharing some joke. Andy nearly choked on her beer – that wasn't what she expected to see tonight.

"Sorry, I should've warned you," Traci apologized.

"It's okay. I'm with Sam. I'm happy. Just wasn't expecting that," she said grinning as she thought about Sam. It was the first true smile her friends had seen since she walked into the bar.

"So, what else has been going on while I've been gone?" she asked.

Dov and Chris began animatedly talking about a drunk guy they arrested and laughter engulfed the table.

Later that night, they lay in bed, Andy shifting so she could comfortably rest her head on Sam's chest while he pulled the sheets up to cover her bare back. They remained silent for several minutes, but Sam could feel Andy's jaw open and close a few times as if she wanted to say something, but was holding back.

He held her close, drawing shapes on her shoulder. "Everything okay?"

She was silent for another minute before she could force the words out of her mouth. "Do you think Frank will separate us, not let us work together when we get back?"

Sam had thought a lot about this. It was something that hadn't been brought up while he was being reprimanded after he was rescued. "I don't know." Despite all the thinking he'd done, he didn't have an answer for her.

"I hope not."

"Me too. We're good together." He wanted nothing more than to spend his days working side by side with her and his nights at home – his or hers, it didn't matter – with her.

"I wanna be your partner," she said, the double meaning of the words not lost on either of them.

"You're a good cop Andy. Whoever you're partnered with, you'll still be a good cop." As much as he wanted to be her partner, he needed to prepare them both in case that didn't happen.

"I know, but you make me feel safe," she said quietly, playing with the hairs on his chest.

Sam pulled her closer. She couldn't have said anything that could have made him happier in that moment.

"Look, if Frank wants to split us up, we'll just plead our case. That's all we can do," he said.

Andy took a deep breath. "We're so good together. I mean, the universe can't hate me that much to separate us, right?"

"No matter what happens at work, the universe already gave me you and I sure as hell ain't giving that gift back."

Andy smiled and looked up at Sam. "I'm a gift, huh?"

"Yup, one I get to unwrap again and again," he replied, dimples flashing. Andy rolled her eyes, but leaned down so her lips could meet his.

Two weeks later, Andy sat reading a magazine while Sam paid some bills. They had fallen into a routine in the three weeks since he'd been rescued from Brennan's farmhouse. They spent most days, and nights, together, but made sure to make time for their friends. They snuggled on the couch, went to the movies, stopped by The Penny, cooked together, and even cleaned his apartment together – it was, dare she think, normal.

She had finally closed on her condo, but ironically she couldn't get the keys to her new home until tomorrow, which was also her and Sam's first day back at work. She was too excited to get back to work to ask for the day off, so she decided to wait and already had furniture deliveries scheduled for their first day off.

Her mind wandered from the magazine in front of her and she thought about how good her life was. She was going back to the job she loved. She had a home of her own that she loved. She had good friends, her dad and Sam. She was happy, but as the minutes of the day passed by, a knot in the pit of her stomach got larger and larger.

By the time night had fallen, Andy was busying herself cooking dinner, hoping it would help ignore her anxiety about returning to work the next day. It wasn't working and by the time she put the plates of chicken cacciatore on the kitchen table, Sam couldn't take it anymore. "Andy, you need to relax. Tomorrow isn't going to be as bad as you think."

"You don't know that. I'm the girl that screwed up your undercover op for the second time. Everyone knows we, you know, when we saw each other. Ohmygod, it's so embarrassing!" She threw her face in her hands and shook her head.

"First of all, you didn't screw up my UC op. Second, we can move to Vancouver. Then you never have to see the faces of 15 Division again," he deadpanned. Andy looked at him through her fingers, knowing how ridiculous he was being.

"I'm serious, Sam," she whined. "I'm so nervous I don't even think I can eat."

Having already eaten several forkfuls, Sam wasn't having the same problem. "You cooked a delicious dinner, Andy. Eat. Stop worrying. We're going to be fine."

"But what if – "

"Eat."

She rolled her eyes and put a forkful of food in her mouth before continuing her previous thought. "But what if people think I'm not fit for this job, that I can't follow the rules, and they don't trust me?"

"Why would anyone think that?"

"Because I violated the rules, twice, to see you."

Sam set down his fork so he could reach across the table and grab Andy's hand. "Everyone in this job makes mistakes. The people that matter know you Andy and trust you. Nash, Epstein, Diaz, Peck, they wouldn't think twice about you having their back. Oliver, Noelle, they know you're a good copper. And me, Andy, you never have to question if I trust you."

Andy pressed her lips together to prevent herself from crying at his kind words. He always knew the right thing to say.

"First days back – whether it's after getting injured, shooting someone, being suspended – are always going to be tough. You take it one step at a time, get through the day, and everything will go back to normal," he continued.

Slowly he was easing her anxiety, but it wasn't gone yet. "But what if I don't have you by my side, if Frank separates us?"

"I will always have your back, even if we aren't partners," he assured her.

"I know. And I have yours, always."

"I know."

The next morning they got out of Sam's truck and walked to the back door of the station. "Ready for this?" Sam asked, his hand resting on her lower back.

"As ready as I'll ever be." She took a deep breath as Sam pushed the door open and waited for her to walk through.

They had barely entered the station when Frank called out to them, ordering them to his office. Andy tried to ignore the eyes staring at her as they walked up to his office. They sat in the two chairs set in front of Frank's desk, nervously awaiting their fate. Andy tried to remain still, but couldn't stop her hands from fidgeting, while Sam tried to read the look on their boss's face.

"First of all, glad to have you both back," Frank said, leaning back in his chair. "Second, you screwed up and are going to be under a lot of scrutiny, so be careful. With that said, McNally, you'll be partnered with Shaw for the next few days. Sam, you're on desk duty until your hand is cleared by a doctor. And, this might go against my better judgment, but no one can deny you make a good team. So, when Sam is back on full duty, I see no reason why I can't partner you two together."

A grin exploding on Andy's face was cut off when Frank continued talking. "But, best behavior guys. Anything, I mean anything, and I will have to separate you."

"Yes sir," Andy said, acknowledging his order.

"Understood boss," Sam replied.

"Alright, get ready for parade. I don't want you to be late."

They uttered their thank you's as they left his office. Andy and Sam smiled at each other as they headed toward the locker rooms, but said nothing until they got closer. He placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her from going into the locker room. "Today's going to be okay. Oliver can be a pain in the ass, but he won't judge," he said.

"I know." She took a deep breath. "Just gotta get through a 10-hour shift and the first day will be over."

Sam glanced around, and seeing no one in sight, leaned in to kiss Andy. She smiled against his lips before backing away into the locker room.

Halfway through changing into her uniform Traci walked in. "Andy!" she squealed upon seeing her friend and pulled her into a hug. "It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back," Andy replied, as she put her hair in a ponytail. "I've missed it."

"Well, you've been missed," Traci said, opening her locker.

Andy sat down on the bench and looked over at Traci. "Is anyone – have we – what's the topic of the rumor mill this week?" she asked.

Traci knew what her friend was getting at. "People aren't going to talk about you and Sam, Andy. It's been three weeks, they've probably forgotten already."

Andy arched her eyebrows, disagreeing. "People don't forget anything around here. They still talk about my failure at the hooker detail and Chris' white pants." Traci stifled a laugh – those white pants were infamous.

"People have moved on, talking about Dov's latest antics or how much food Oliver stuffed in his mouth yesterday. You'll see. It'll be fine." Traci smiled, hoping her words would ease Andy's mind.

"Thanks Trace," she said, getting up. "I'll see you in parade. I'm too nervous to just sit here."

Andy walked through the station and took a moment to take it all in. It had only been three weeks, but she loved this job. It was who she was. It was in her blood. She smiled at Chris and Dov as she walked over to where they were standing.

"It's so good to have you back, Andy. We missed you," Chris said.

"It wasn't the same without you. I mean, we had one less person to take turns buying Oliver's lunch," Dov quipped.

She rolled her eyes at Dov, but gave them both a quick hug. "Thanks guys. I've missed this place." She missed the rest of their conversation – something about Dov not doing the dishes the night before – as her eyes caught Luke walking through the room and into his office. There'd been something she'd wanted to do since before her suspension. She told herself she'd be the bigger person. "I'll see you in parade," she told the guys before walking into the detectives' office.

"Luke?"

Luke barely glanced up before looking back down at the paperwork on his desk. "What can I do for you Officer McNally?"

Andy fought not to lash out at the snide way he spoke to her. She pressed her lips together and took a deep breath to remind herself yet again why she was standing there. "Look, what you did when Sam was missing, helping to figure out what happened...Thank you. I just wanted to say thank you."

"I investigated a missing officer, that's all. One of our own was missing after a stupid mistake," Luke replied, finally looking up at her.

Fury started to build inside Andy. She was trying to be the bigger person and let him know she appreciated his help after everything that had happened between them. Why couldn't he accept it without the rude remarks?

"Anything else you need? Cause I have a lot of work to get done," he said.

"No." She glared at him briefly before starting to walk out the door, but stopped and turned around. "I've clearly made some stupid mistakes, but for the record, Sam isn't one of them."

The look on his face told her that her point had been made and she turned quickly and left the office, running right into a hard body. It took her a moment to realize it was Sam. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked when he saw the look on her face.

"Nothing. I'm fine."

He gently pulled her down an empty hallway. "You're not fine."

"I was trying to thank Luke for helping us find you." When she paused, Sam nodded, urging her to continue. "He was an ass. Couldn't just accept my appreciation. Why did I bother?"

Andy frowned and Sam put his hands on her shoulders and gave them a light squeeze. "Because you're you. You're a good person." He lowered his head so she would look him in the eye. "Don't let him or anyone else make you think different."

She forced a smile. "Thanks." He kissed her forehead.

"Now get to parade before Frank yells at us for being late," Sam teasingly warned.

"Oh god, we can't walk in there together! They'll think, I don't know, but we can't!" Andy went from annoyed to freaked out in a matter of seconds.

Sam chuckled before starting to back down the hallway. "You go that way. I'll go this way."

They arrived at parade, separately, and listened to Frank update everyone on a few ongoing cases. He quietly welcomed back Sam and Andy, and she was forever grateful he did it without a lot of fanfare. The less attention brought to us the better, she thought.

After parade, Oliver and Andy made their way to the coffee station and when he saw her making two cups, he decided to give her a moment. "Meet me at the car in five, McNally. And don't forget, you're buying lunch." She laughed as he walked away.

Carrying both cups of coffee, she searched the room and saw Sam sitting at a desk with a phone to his ear. She walked over and quietly placed one of the coffees in front of him. Before she could turn away, he looked up and grabbed her wrist. "Be safe," he mouthed wordlessly. She smiled and slightly squeezed his hand. Walking away, she could hear Sam's aggravated voice telling someone their neighbor's barking dog was not a reason to dial 911 over and over again.

When she reached the cruiser, Oliver was sitting in the driver's seat ready to go. As she settled into her seat, he pulled out of the parking lot. "So, first day back. We can take it easy, you know," he said.

"No, it's okay. I'd rather be busy. It'll make the day go faster."

Oliver nodded in understanding and as if on cue, they were called to a B&E at a convenience store.

Sam was waiting outside the locker rooms when Andy walked out. Despite how exhausted she was, the sight of him leaning back against the wall, ankles crossed in front of him, brought a smile to her face. "Hey."

"Rough day?" he asked, pushing away from the wall and walking toward her.

"Just busy. Two B&E's Jerry thinks are linked to a gang initiation, a few accidents caused by the slick roads, a couple regular traffic stops and breaking up a loud party thrown by kids skipping school." She sighed and shook her head. "I should've taken Oliver up on making it an easy day."

"The positive? Day one is over," he said as he ushered them out the back door of the station. She smiled as she felt the warmth of his hand at the small of her back through the shirt she wore. The rain was still gently falling as they walked to Sam's truck.

Andy waited for Sam to unlock the doors, but instead found herself being turned around and gently pushed up against the truck. "What are you doing?" she asked as he boxed her in with the palms of his hands resting on the truck.

"Something I've wanted to do all day," he said. He leaned in, crushing his lips against hers and she eagerly responded.

She quickly became aware of the cold rain beginning to soak through her shirt. "Sam," she mumbled against his lips. "I'm getting wet."

He pulled back, choking on a laugh and smirking. "Really?"

She rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean! The rain, the water on the truck…" Even in the dim light of the parking lot, Sam could see her face turn a bright crimson.

"Uh huh." He enjoyed watching her blush, but reached into his pocket to get his keys and unlocked the doors. "Get in," he said, still smiling.

"You so knew what I meant, Sam!" She poked a bony finger into his chest as she moved to open the door. He simply chuckled and made his way around the truck to get in the driver's seat.

On the short ride home to Sam's apartment, Andy became mesmerized by the rain falling and sliding down the window, and she was quickly lost in her own thoughts. She thought back on the last three weeks. Things were easy with Sam. She could be herself. He understood her like no one else. No matter what happened, what kind of day she'd had, she could get through it with him at her side.

When they arrived at his apartment, Sam saw in her eyes how tired she was, so he suggested she change into her pajamas while he cooked dinner. He had already put leftovers in the oven and was throwing together a salad when he heard her coming down the hall.

Andy padded into the kitchen, slid her arms around Sam and rested the side of her face against his back.

"Everything okay?" He'd been concerned when she'd been unusually silent once they left the station.

"Mmmhmm, just tired." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I like this, being normal."

He turned around so she was leaning against his chest and kissed her temple. "So that's what this is?" He felt her laugh vibrate his chest and smiled.

"Thank you for being normal with me," she said.

"Wouldn't want to be normal with anyone else."

The End.