Sam entered the room to see someone choking Andy.
In the instant he saw that every frustration-every time he had seen her with Luke with Nick or not been able to say what he wanted. Every fear, every desire, every anger, every moment he had wished he was the one there flashed in his mind. Sam's blood boiled and he saw red.
He grabbed the man from behind and slammed into the ground. Andy gasped grabbing her throat.
The man was no weakling and was out from under Sam in an instant punching back. Sam was enraged though and kicked the man legs out from under him holding him in the head grip. The man pulled a gun and Sam grabbed his arm twisting it back with a crack. He ripped the weapon from his fingers and held the gun to his temple.
"Swarek! NO! You can't shoot him!"
Sam glanced at Luke.
A shot rang out.
Luke shrugged.
"But I can."
Sam raised his eyebrows. The man was alive-Luke had made sure of that. Sam glanced around-hospital personal was gathered around in horror. He hadn't even noticed them come in.
Luke tugged at the man's lab coat.
"Explains how he got in."
Sam nodded and walked to Andy.
Her eyes were horrified.
"What…why did he?"
Luke raised his eyebrows.
"She doesn't remember?"
Sam scowled.
Andy looked back and forth between them.
"Whhat? What don't I remember?"
Luke handcuffed the man and motioned for a doctor.
"Fix this man so he can be interrogated."
The Doctor nodded and led the bleeding man away.
Luke nodded and sanitized his hands before walking towards them.
"Andy, you have no idea why you're here?"
Andy shook her head.
"I don't…I don't know."
Luke looked at Sam who was fuming inside.
"Did you tell her about her Dad?"
Sam pinched his nose and sighed.
Andy's eyes were on him.
"What? Where is he? Is he ok?"
Luke shook his head.
"He's in the ER."
"What?"
Luke pulled out his phone.
"Jarvis."
He grimaced.
"Look Swarek, Andy is good to go-I mean…until we get this cleared up I suggest you get her out of here and hidden somewhere so no one else and come after her. And if Jarvis hears a civilian almost killed a suspect he won't care how good the reason was."
Andy stared at Sam.
"Civilian?"
Luke nodded.
"You didn't-"
"Could you leave? Please!"
Luke looked at Sam and smirked.
Sam stared at him.
"She still needs hospital care."
Luke shook his head.
"No, she needs care but it doesn't have to be hospital. I could always-"
"Fine."
Sam snapped.
"How do you want to do this?"
10 minutes later a few bystanders saw a gurney with a covered body wheeled past by a man with a detective badge. He signed a paper with a flourish and nodded at the doctor talking to him.
"Thank you Sir. This will be very helpful with our investigation."
The doctor nodded and the detective climbed into the passenger seat of a large van.
A man with black hair and baseball cap drove the van out of the parking lot.
Nick and Chloe were just sitting in the car. Cruising…making sure everything was fine. As much as non-stop talking Chloe annoyed him-this was worse. Way worse.
The silence was killing him.
His phone rang and Nick silently rejoiced.
"Yes Sir? Excuse me?...What? Yes, OK. Right away Sir. On our way."
Chloe looked at him as he hung up.
Nick sighed and hit his lights.
"They put Andy in hiding-someone tried to kill her. Hospital is watching her Dad and Chris but they want cops on it. Make sure nothing else happens. We're with Chris."
Chloe nodded.
Nick shook his head.
And now he had to be with two of them.
Sam went ahead of Andy making sure everything was ok. Next he got the equipment ready and then carried Andy in and lay her on the bed. Carefully Sam hooked up the IV-wincing that he had to cause her any pain. After she was thoroughly hooked up Sam stepped back and looked at her.
Boo Radley jumped up on the bed beside her and licked her cheek. A tear rolled down Andy's cheek-then another and another.
"Andy-I didn't have time-"
She shook her head.
"It's not…it's…I remember."
Sam's eyes probed hers and the pain in them made him wince.
"He died…Dov died…for me."
Andy buried her face in the pillow and her shoulders began to shake.
Sam crouched in front of her and gently cupped her face.
"Andy…"
She shook her head.
"He died…because he was saving me. Me. And my Dad…he's in the hospital-because someone was targeting me. He might be dead and I won't know."
"Calleghan will keep us informed. And Andy-he's made it this far-it will be ok."
Andy shook her head again.
"You DON'T know that Sam."
Andy gasped in pain and shook her head.
Sam reached out but Andy jerked away.
"No…"
"Andy!"
"If you stay with me you'll get hurt Sam. Go!"
Sam shook his head.
"I won't Andy. I won't leave you."
He kissed her forehead.
"I'm going to make you something to eat. But I won't leave you."
Nick followed Chloe into the hospital room and almost moaned aloud.
Gail was here in civilian clothes-but still Gail.
He hadn't had a civil conversation with her since the day they broke up. Not that he had seen much of her.
Gail glanced up and then back to Chris. They were just sitting holding hands-but not romantically he guessed.
Chloe sat beside Chris on the other side and Nick stood awkwardly.
The silence grew long and then Gail cleared her throat.
"You should sit Nick."
Nick looked at her carefully.
No hostility was in her eyes; just deep deep grief.
He nodded and pulled a chair over beside her.
Again the silence stretched out.
Nick took a breath and spoke quickly.
"Look, I know you guys wish it had been me instead-I wish that too. Dov had everything to live for-it should have been me. We should have been together-I failed him and all of you and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I ever came to 15."
Three pairs of eyes stared at him.
Chloe shook her head.
"Nick, I don't wish it was you. I wish it hadn't been Dov-I wish-he had come back and we had gotten married. But-"
She shook her head and the tears started. Gail stood and walked around the bed putting her arms around Chloe. Her eyes were brimming to.
"Luke told me…you were there-you were the last one to see him-you knew he was going to die and he knew you knew."
Nick looked down waiting for the blame.
Gail shook her head.
"I'm glad-I'm glad you were there with the car Nick-you saved Andy and everyone by being there. You had Dov's back. You don't always get everyone out and Dov made a choice and I am proud of him. I'm proud we were friends. And I'm sorry for every stupid thing I've been a jerk over. None of it matters. We had it so easy and we didn't even know it. We had a good thing."
Gail smiled.
"So tonight-I'm going to the Penny. And I'm going to play trivia and drink to Dov."
Chris nodded.
"I'm out for the funeral. I'm coming to."
Chloe nodded.
"I'll try. And Nick you have to come to. Dov would have wanted you too. You're one of us now."
Nick stared at them.
Chris leaned his head back against his bed.
"We fight over such stupid stuff."
He extended a hand to Nick.
"Welcome to the band. I could use a friend right now."
Nick stared at him a long moment before slowly extending his hand and shaking Chris's firmly.