Notes: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far! I really love hearing your thoughts. So I'm a little nervous about this chapter. There is a conversation between Sam and Andy, but it's not 'the talk'. I'm really trying to keep them in character and I hope that you like where I went with this one. I'm really curious as to what you think so please let me know!

I don't own anything.


"Callaghan."

Luke Callaghan was standing slouched over his desk when Sam opened the door into the D's office. Luke recognized the voice and sighed.

"Swarek." He responded without looking up, hoping that he would just leave. However, the sound of heavy footsteps told him he wasn't so lucky.

"Is there something I can help you with?" He straightened up and was turning to face one of his least favorite people when he felt a blow to his right cheek. In part due to the shock of the hit but mostly due to its force, Luke stumbled backwards, "What the fuck?"

Sam stared at him, his face blank, for a moment before he grinned, "You take care," He paused and winked, "Buddy."

Before Luke could respond Sam was already out the door.

0o0

Traci and Oliver heard the sound of fist hitting bone and Oliver turned to Traci, "Seriously, what is going on?"

Just as Traci opened her mouth to answer she saw Sam walk through the station and into the women's locker room.

"And what is it with Sammy and that damn locker room?" Oliver had also been following Sam's movements and only looked more confused when he turned back to Traci.

Traci considered her options and couldn't even begin to think of how to explain what just happened so she opted to shrug her shoulders and play dumb.

"I have no idea." Traci shrugged again and judging by the look Oliver was giving her, he wasn't buying it. Before he could say anything else she walked away, heading to the cruiser to wait for Sam.

Oliver watched as she walked away and looked around the room to see if anyone else was lost as he was. He was disappointed to find that everyone else seemed to either have not noticed or not cared.

"Does anybody know what the hell is going on?" He groaned when everyone either ignored him or just shrugged and went back to work.

0o0

Andy was just standing to head back to the cruiser when Sam burst through the door of the locker room. He scanned the room and when his eyes found hers, he froze and Andy was paralyzed by the intensity in his eyes. She watched as he opened his mouth only to close it a second later. He tried again, this time taking a step closer, but failed once more. This continued for minutes that felt like hours, during which his eyes never left hers.

That is until Sam started laughing. It was the saddest laugh Andy had ever heard and it made her cringe. She watched as he pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to regain some control of his emotions. He was fidgeting, looking anywhere but at her. She stood by her locker, in the same position she had been in when he first walked in, still unable to move.

Finally, he spoke. "I… I'm so sorry." He was staring at his feet when the words left his mouth and his hands were on his hips. He exhaled sharply and a bitter laugh escaped his lips.

Andy couldn't imagine what he could possibly be apologizing for and opened her mouth to speak only to find she couldn't, even if she knew what to say.

The room was silent, save Sam's occasional cough of humorless laughter. Andy was completely still, staring at him. "I… am so sorry," He paused again, "He wasn't supposed to…he was supposed to be solid… to never hurt you."

Andy's mouth opened in shock. He knew. "Who told you?" She meant to speak but was disappointed when she heard no sound leave her mouth.

Sam ignored her unspoken question. "I never would have... I didn't know…" He exhaled again before whispering, "I am so sorry Andy"

His eyes shot up to hers and upon searching them she found only guilt and anger. She still couldn't move or speak. She couldn't even imagine what her face looked like at that moment but she was pretty sure she was crying.

After a minute or two of silence, he turned to walk out of the room but hesitated at the door before turning and mumbling, "I'm just… really sorry."

Andy stood and watched as he walked out. Her mind was running rampant and she couldn't grasp a single coherent thought. She had no idea how he found out and she was even more confused by his apologies. She tried to process what had just happened but she quickly realized she had no idea where to even begin. She was pulled out of the trance by the sound of her phone ringing and she remembered she still had half a shift to finish. Groaning, she wiped the tears off her face as she walked out of the locker room and picked up the phone to a very confused Oliver Shaw.

0o0

The rest of the shift was a blur for Andy and it wasn't long before she found herself in the locker room again. She hadn't seen Sam or Luke again that day and she wasn't sure she would have been able to deal with it if she had. She could feel Traci watching her as she changed out of her uniform and back into the sweatpants and t-shirt she had worn to work that morning. Neither of them said a word until they were back in Traci's apartment.

"I'll heat up the rest of the Chinese food from yesterday for dinner." Traci was already digging out the dishes from the fridge as she spoke.

Andy didn't respond as she moved into the living room and sunk onto the couch. As she looked back on the past four hours, she realized she hadn't said more than ten words. Oliver had asked her what was wrong a handful of times but she always answered 'nothing' and eventually he stopped asking. There weren't any calls so they ended up just driving around until it was time to head back to the barn.

She watched Traci set the table as the events of the last day played in her mind. Seeing Luke had been just as hard as she thought it would be but she was thankful that she hadn't run into Jo as she wasn't sure she would have been able to resist the urge to physically harm her. At the time she didn't think her day could possibly get any worse but she was quickly proven wrong. Sam had literally paralyzed her with his stare, which held so much more than Andy was willing to see, while his apologies crippled her mental functions. Five hours had passed and she still hadn't recuperated.

She heard Traci's voice from the kitchen but was too distracted to hear what she said. Assuming she said dinner was ready, Andy got up and moved into the dining area of the kitchen and took a seat at the table.

Traci sat after she placed the rest of the food on the table and contemplated how to bring up what had happened at the barn today. Her mind combed over all the different ways she could lead into the conversation but none of the options seemed fitting. Traci was about to ask if the food was warm enough when she heard Andy's phone ring. Andy didn't seem to notice so Traci tapped her on the arm and pointed to her phone on the kitchen counter. Nodding her head in acknowledgement, Andy walked over to the counter and opened her phone.

"Hello?" Her voice was barely audible as she spoke into the phone.

"McNally? It's Sergeant Best." She straightened her posture at the sound of her boss's voice and Traci arched her eyebrow, as if asking who it was.

"Oh. Hi sergeant." Traci 'ah'-ed and turned back towards her plate.

"Listen, I want to talk to you about today. We can't have that happening again. I don't need to know what happened. Actually, I would prefer not to but I cannot have my officers and detectives resorting to physical violence while on the job…"

Andy cut him off, "Sorry? I don't know what you're referring to." Traci glanced over and saw the confusion on her friends face.

"I am referring to Officer Swarek striking Detective Callaghan."

"Sam hit Luke?" Andy's mouth dropped open and Traci sighed, partially relieved that she didn't have to be the one to tell her.

"Yes, he did." Andy heard her sergeant sigh before he continued, "Callaghan is not pressing charges and we all agreed it's best to just move on but I need to know that whatever is going on will not be brought onto the job with you. If you don't think you can leave it at home, I want you to take a few personal days."

Andy was silent for a few moments as she digested what Best was telling her before she responded, "I can leave it at home."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Definitely. It won't be an issue." She was surprised at how convincing she sounded.

"Okay. I trust you McNally. And sorry for disrupting your night."

"It's not a problem. Thank you sergeant." And with that she heard the phone click, signaling the end of the conversation. Andy shut her phone and placed it back on the counter before taking her seat at the table.

However, when she sat down she didn't touch her food. "Sam hit Luke?" She was staring at Traci as she spoke, her expression a combination of more emotions than Traci could even name.

"Yeah, he did." Traci sighed as the words left her mouth.

"When?" Andy was completely still except the small movements of her mouth.

"At the barn, during lunch break." Traci spoke softly and slowly, knowing her friend needed the extra time to process what happened.

"Why?" Andy knew the answer before she asked the question but she needed to hear someone else say it. She was having a hard time believing her life had come to this point and was hoping that hearing it from someone else would make it feel real.

"He knows what happened," She searched Andy's face waiting for a reaction, expecting anger but finding nothing, "I didn't tell him, he saw you and Luke arguing and then saw Jo look like she was going to cry and Luke like he had just killed a puppy. And then he just knew. I'm sorry, maybe I should have just denied it but I didn't."

Andy was silent and there was still no change on her face. The girls sat at the table, neither one touching their food, as Andy slowly digested the story.

Finally, Andy spoke. "He apologized."

"Luke?" Traci wasn't sure why Andy was telling her that, she already knew Luke had been apologizing constantly since Andy found out.

"No, Sam."

Traci arched her eyebrow as she asked, "For hitting Luke?"

"No. I don't really know why. He was saying something about Luke and... I really don't know." The words left Andy's mouth but her tone suggested that she didn't really understand their meaning.

"I don't understand, what does that have to do with him?"

Andy sighed as she folded her arms on the table and leaned forward. "I don't know Trace! I don't know anything anymore! This isn't supposed to be my life! Luke was the safe choice! It was supposed to be easy and pleasant but this is neither!"

"It's never easy Andy." Traci reached across the table to grab one of her friend's hands.

Andy looked up at the contact and groaned, "I know that Trace. But it's not supposed to be this hard. Why did he sleep with her? I really just don't understand." The tears were flowing freely as she shook her head in disbelieve.

"I don't know Andy."

"God it just hurts so much Trace." Andy dropped her head into her hands and sobbed, "Every time I think it's getting better, I fall two steps backwards!"

"It's only been two days. You have to give yourself more time to feel the pain of the situation."

"I am just so sick of feeling this bad. Can we please just get drunk?" Traci laughed even though she knew Andy was completely serious.

"Sure but you have the night shift tomorrow, remember?"

"I know. Do you not?"

"No, I booked it off. Leo is getting back from his weekend with his dad tomorrow and I want to spend some time with him. I think we're going to have a zoo day." Traci smiled and the excitement in her voice was almost enough to make Andy smile.

"Oh. Should I move over to my dad's tomorrow?" Andy tried to keep a level tone as she spoke but she knew some disappointment had seeped through.

"No! Don't be ridiculous. Leo loves you, he'll be so happy that you're staying with us!"

"Okay, only if you're sure though." Andy tried to smile but instead ended up awkwardly tilting her mouth into a sort of grimace.

"Andy." Traci arched her eyebrow as if challenging Andy to defy her.

Andy gave in and nodded before smirking, "So, alcohol?" At this, Andy managed to form a legitimate smile.

Traci laughed as she got up to find her liquor. "Okay, so we've got wine, tequila, a little bit of vodka, and some gin. I'm feeling the wine, good with you?"

"Yeah, sure."

"White or red?" Traci had already grabbed the bottle of white wine as she asked the question, knowing full well what her friend's answer would be.

"White, please." Andy's response was muffled by the sweatpants covering the knees her head was currently resting on.

"Coming right up!"

0o0

An hour later the girls were on the couch, each with their third full glass of wine in hand. They had been talking about their academy days and their fellow rookies as the wine flowed, and Andy was beginning to loosen up. Traci hesitated before approaching the topic of Sam but she was really feeling the wine so she just went for it, "So, what exactly did Sam say in the locker room today?"

Andy took another long swig from her wine before shaking her head, "I don't know. Something about being sorry for Luke being a dick, I think."

"Why would he apologize for that?" Traci didn't want to push her friend but after getting to know Swarek better she knew he wasn't really the apology type.

"Why are we talking about this?" Traci could hear the irritation growing in her friend's voice. She knew she should stop but the alcohol had taken over and she kept going.

"Aren't you curious?"

Andy heard the question but honestly didn't know the answer. She hadn't thought about the interaction she had with Sam that day since it happened, and even when it was happening she wasn't really thinking at all. Every time her mind slipped to the three minutes she was in the locker room with him, everything went blank. She looked up at Traci and seeing the anticipation for her answer on her face made her frustration fade into anger.

"Why are we talking about Sam? None of this even matters! Sam and I made out, once! I was going to marry Luke, Trace. I agreed to spend the rest of my life with Luke. Up until two days ago, when I pictured my future, it was with Luke. Why do you think I'm thinking about Sam right now? I don't know why he was apologizing and honestly, I don't really care."

"Andy…"

She finished off the rest of her third glass before opening her mouth to speak, "No, I'm done talking. I'm going to bed, goodnight."

Traci was going to protest but she knew she had already pushed her friend too far. She watched her walk away as she took another sip of wine. She knew Andy was a mess and she felt guilty for making her snap but she really did have the best intentions in mind. She knew that Andy did genuinely love Luke but she also knew there was a lot more to the story with Sam than she was letting on.

0o0

As Andy got into bed, she knew she had lied to Traci. The brief interaction she had with Sam in the locker room that day affected her more than she was even capable of comprehending in her emotional state. She knew the feelings were stored away somewhere and eventually they would reappear but she had much more prominent issues to deal with first. She had lied when she told Traci she wasn't thinking about Sam, but it wasn't entirely untrue. Luke occupied her thoughts a good majority of the time, the knife through her chest was a constant reminder of his betrayal. When she had woken up that morning, she knew the day would be hard and long. It took everything she had to keep her shit together and when her head hit the pillow, she broke down. She sobbed until she couldn't, only then falling asleep.