Hi again! Thanks again for the positive reviews. It's my first story and the encouragement is unbelievable, so thank you all. :)

Because I live in Australia and school holidays are approaching I really hope I'll be able to update this story consistently.
This chapter is where the heavy sort of stuff starts to come in. Soon it'll be more gruesome, so just a WARNING.
Here's chapter 4. Please let me know your thoughts!

Chapter 4

"Hey Oliver!" Andy cheered, placing her keys and handbag on the Shaw's kitchen table and plonking herself on one of their chairs.

"Evening, Andrea." Oliver nodded.

"Ugh. Don't call me that."

"Sammy and Beth did."

"Beth still does." She corrected. "It's my teaching name."

"I didn't even know your name was Andrea." She watched him pull out a chair and sit opposite her. She looked at the man she had only known for a short time.

They'd known each other 5 years.

She met Zoe and Oli the day Zoe's sister married Andy's stepbrother Luke. The 'steps' had become too confusing once Luke married Tasha, so they all just called themselves in-laws.

"How are you treating Sammy and Beth?"

The question had been on his mind for a while now. Ever since the three had run into each other in this very house.

"Excuse me?" Andy raised an eyebrow.

Oliver shrugged. "How are they going?"

"Why don't you call Sam and ask him?" She asked sarcastically. She jumped off her chair and got herself a glass of water.

"What about Beth's therapy?"

"It's confidential."

Oliver shook his head slowly from side to side with an unsatisfied look on his face. "Are you and Sam going out again tomorrow night?"

Andy's face perked up. "Yeah!" She grinned. "We're going out to the Black Penny. He said it was an old bar he used to go to with Renee, but it's a surprise so don't let him kn..."

"No." Oliver almost screamed. He jumped off his chair, giving Andy a fright. "No. He's not going to the Penny. And either are you. Take him somewhere else."

The young brunette groaned. "Oliver." She whined. "Why not? It'll be fun."

"It won't be fun for him, trust me. It'll just bring back memories."

"Obviously it will. That's the point. I'm trying to help him fa..."

"It's where Renee was found dead, Andy."

Andy immediately shut her mouth, and stopped any type of complaint that was about to come out of her mouth.

"Yeah. It's where her body was found. I'm not going to say anything else about it, because it's not my place. But just do not take him there."

"Okay." Andy finally said, adding quick nods. "I won't take him there."

"Good." Oliver said. "That's a good idea."

Andy chuckled and drank a bit of her water, loving how the cold liquid finally made it easier to breath. She wasn't expecting what Oliver had told her, at all.


"Do you like Andrea?" Beth asked. She was sitting on the couch opposite her dad. Her arms were crossed on her chest and one leg was over the other. She had one raised eyebrow and her head was tipped down a little, trying to give her father a hard glare.

"What!?"

"I said. Do you like, Andrea?"

"Beth." Sam sighed. "That's ridiculous, okay?"

"So, you aren't saying no?" She rushed. "So you do like her. Why? I thought you loved mom!" She said, jumping off the couch and pacing the length of it.

"Beth. We're friends. Just like Aunt Zoe and me. She has a boyfriend anyway s-''

"No she doesn't." Beth cut it. "She doesn't have a boyfriend, or husband, or kids. She told me."

"Oh." Sam said. "Then who in the hell is Luke?" He mumbled to himself. Mostly to himself anyway.

"I'm not allowed to tell. But she's not dating anyone. Why?" She asked. "Do you want to date her or something? Are you already replacing mom!" She was screaming now.

As much as Sam hated to be the one she was screaming about. She was finally getting angry. She was getting her thoughts out. It almost made him smile in a serious situation.

"No body is replacing anyone, Beth."

"Yeah. Until you and Andrea get together and get married and have kids too, then I'll be forgotten about! Then I'll be the one who finds you instead of mom chopped up in freezer bags and dumped next to a dumpster. Then I'll be forced to try and continue my life with a step-mother after another traumatic experience!"

Beth was jumping to conclusions. She was absolutely hysterical. Her breathing was erratic and her face was bright red and her body had started to become weak.

"Beth. You know that's not going to happe-''

"Won't it?" She screeched. "It happened to mom. Why won't it happen to you?"

Beth fell onto the couch and smothered her face into the cushion. She was trying to stop herself from panicking. She was also mumbling words to herself, obviously giving a little pep talk to try and calm herself down.

But she wasn't finished.

She jumped up off the couch and walked around to stand in front of Sam.

"You can't replace mom."

"I'm not replacing mom. I promise you that I won't replace your mother." He went to reach out to grab her hand, but she jerked away. He tried again, but she stepped back again.

"Beth..." He whispered. She still continued to walk away from Sam, and back to her seat on the couch.

"Do you like Andrea?" She asked once more. He looked at his small, fragile daughter and knew he couldn't lie. Her innocent eyes were on his, just daring him to say the wrong thing.

"I...I don't hate her, Beth."

He watched a tear run down his daughter's cheek.

"Why?"

"Because I found someone who is willing to help you. And she's not only helping you, she's helping me too."

"By taking you out on dates?" she accused.

"They aren't dates, Beth!" Sam argued. "It's going out with a friend. She's taking me out, as a friend. Nothing more."

"Nothing more, yet."

Sam looked at his hands. "Yeah, yet." He whispered.

Beth curled herself into a ball and rested her back on the armrest. "So something might happen?"

Sam shrugged. "I don't know." He looked at his daughter. "But I need a way to get over it too Beth. I've been concentrating on getting you better that I haven't realised that I'm not exactly doing great either."

"I know."

"We both need to move on. We need a change, Beth."

He watched Beth nod her head and close her eyes. She sunk further into the couch. "How?"

"I think..." He got more comfortable. "I think maybe after Andy helps us get better, that maybe...we should move. You know. Just out of Toronto. There's too many memories here, and it'll be good when we're better to start fresh."

"What did you have in mind?" She asked. Beth had lived in Toronto all her life, and it might be hard to adjust to a move. But it would be better than being reminded of your dead mother every waking moment.

"I was thinking, maybe St Catherine's?"

"St Catherine's?" She asked. "What's in St Catherine's?"

Sam shook his head. "There's nothing special in St Catherine's. It's just, it's only an hour and a half drive from Toronto and we can still visit Aunt Zoe and Uncle Oli without having to spend a lot of money."

"What about Andrea?" She asked. Sam have her a look of confusion.

"If you get together, what will she think?"

Her question surprised Sam, a lot. He didn't even think about Andy when he thought about moving. And he thought she didn't even want him to be near Andy...

"Right now? It doesn't matter." He settled on. "What does matter, is you. I want you and I to be happy again. That's all that matters right now."


"Beth wasn't too hard to leave behind this time." The man beside her said thankfully. "There was no sign of tears or screaming or even panic. She stayed calm! That's good, right?" He asked her.

Andy smiled and nodded. "It is. It's really good." She decided to elaborate. "It's good she's finally getting used to not being with you for more than just school hours."

Sam clapped his hands together once and rubbed his hands in attempt to stay warm. "I'm in a really great mood tonight." He shared. "Beth's not crying. She told me she was happy staying with Oliver. I'm going out again with an amazing woman." He sighed. "It's just a great night."

Andy chuckled. "You think I'm amazing?" She asked with a hint of amusement in her tone. The tinge of redness in her cheeks was becoming much more noticeable.

He snapped his head towards her. "No..." He started. His eyes widened. "I mean. Yes...No. Yeah." He cleared his throat to stop the rambling.

"Anyone who doesn't think you're amazing is an idiot." He avoided eye contact for the whole confession.

She gave Sam a serious look. She could tell that he was embarrassed. He was nearly the same colour as she was just a few seconds ago. The same colour that she probably still was.

"Thanks, Sam."

The two walked into the Alpine Inn and took a seat at the bar. Andy didn't like the look of it. It was small, smelt of drugs and men's body odor. There were a lot of dodgy looking people, who were obviously as high as a kite.

While they were waiting for their drinks, she looked across at Sam.

She really wanted to ask him if the attraction she was feeling was mutual. It felt wrong to be attracted to her student's father. It was against the rules, which she already knew, and she also knew it would probably kill Beth.

Beth was finally starting to talk to her, and Andy was making progress. How would it end up if Andy started dating her father...?

But Andy could see a life with Sam. Even though it was totally inappropriate, she did anyway. The way he was around Beth warmed her heart. She always hoped that someday she'd find someone like Sam. Who'd go through anything to make sure his family was safe.

And he was doing that.

But he needed time, and Beth needed time.

She'd give them time. She'd give them as much time as they needed to get over Renee. And she wasn't going to rush them; she was going to help them. Because that's what she wanted to do.

And it's what they needed.

The barmen gave them both a beer. Andy swiveled on her chair to face Sam, and he did the same.

God, he was handsome. His dark hair and eyes and dimples were the most perfect combination. It wasn't even funny. It was actually hard not to touch his face.

He was just the right height and his muscularity was beyond fine.

"We should go out." Came a small voice. Andy's eyes widened when she realised it was her who said it. Sam had choked on his beer and started coughing loudly. "As friends!" Andy said quickly. "As friends. Just like. Not just a beer, you know?"

She watched Sam nod and continue to clear his throat.

"Yeah." He finally got out. "What about Luke?"

"What do you mean? What about Luke?"

Sam chuckled. "Do you think he'll care?" Sam didn't think Beth would lie to him about Andy being single, but he needed clarification.

"Why would my brother care about me going out with a friend?"

Brother.

Praise the Lord.

"Like. Maybe just going to the movies or out to a diner or something?" She shrugged. Sam just kept nodding. He couldn't even muster words.

What she asked was completely unexpected. Sure...he was thinking the same thing. But he wasn't expecting her to ask first. He was expecting it to be him asking her out on a proper date once he and Beth were over Renee.

But as she said. They were going out as friends.

"Sorry if that was unexpected." She said apologetically. "It's just...I feel something, you know?"

Sam shook his head and looked over Andy's shoulder.

"You don't feel anything?"

Sam just kept shaking his head and made his hands into fists, clenching tightly, almost turning his knuckles pure white.

His jaw was clenched and she could see fire starting in his eyes.

"YOU LITTLE PRICK!" He yelled. He jumped up off his seat and pushed past Andy. Quickly, Andy put a bill on the bar and jumped off her seat after him.

"YOU WRECKED MY FAMILY!" She heard. But she couldn't find him. There was a group of people gathering into a corner of the bar.

"Officer Swarek, what a surprise." Came a cold voice.

"You'll pay what you did to my girls. I promise that." Sam voice was toned down, and she could tell that he was pissed.

Andy walked around the other side of the bar to see Sam standing opposite a blonde, older looking male. He had small facial hair and cold, dull eyes.

"What on earth did I do, Officer?" He asked sarcastically. Andy looked between the two men, before her eyes landed on Sam.

In the 6 weeks they new each other, she had never seen him like this. Ever. She didn't know what was happening with him.

"Jamie. You know exactly what you did." He said. "You know what you did to my wife and I will make your life a living hell until you are put behind bars."

"It's lovely to see you too." Jamie smiled. His teeth were scary and revolting.

Sam dared a look toward Andy, then back at Jamie. "The only reason I'm not choking you right now, beating the living daylights out of you, is because of that woman right there." He pointed his finger to Andy. "But if I was here alone, you'd be dead in a second."

"Already moving on, are we Swarek? What's it been, 7 months?"

"None of that is your business."

Jamie gave an evil laugh. "Oh, Swarek. How is your daughter taking the news? Already gotten her a new mother."

"Hey." Andy said. She stepped in-between the two men, facing Jamie. "Leave Sam and his daughter alone. You have no right to say anything about them, so don't."

Jamie's eyes widened and a disgusting grin appeared on his face. "I like her, Swarek. She's feisty."

Sam grabbed Andy's arm and pulled her behind him. "Don't ever speak to her, or about her." He warned.

Sam's face had turned red again, this time because of anger, not embarrassment.

He almost ran out of the bar with Andy in tow. He slammed the door to the Alpine Inn, slammed his truck doors and threw his keys onto the ground of the truck when he couldn't get them in the ignition.

"Freakin' hell." He muttered, digging the palms of his hands onto his eyes until it hurt.

Andy didn't want to say anything. She was scared that she'd somehow say the wrong thing and make the situation worse.

Sam was sitting on his seat; contemplating the million ways he could have killed the man inside the bar. The most satisfying would be the same way Renee was killed.

He would get a taste of his own medicine. But Sam wouldn't hurt anyone unless it was self-defense. It'd be hard to say chopping someone up was defending himself.

"That...was Jamie Brennan. He killed my wife.

There wasn't evidence. But I know he did.

And the bastard got away with it."

Ahh, and yeah. So. That happened.

Let me know what you think, and any suggestions would be great too.
Thanks for reading! :)

I'll get the next chapter up ASAP.