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Chapter 4-Just Like The Beginning.

Shift was starting in less than five minutes, and she needed at least ten to make it on time.

Andy was tugging on her uniform with supersonic speed, her hair pulled into a low laying bun at the back of her head.

She'd overslept a little, she wasn't used to having to get up early anymore but she'd resume her routine soon enough, with practice.

The locker room was quiet, everyone already having left for parade while she was still dressing.

Rushing for the door, Andy pushed it open in an attempt to make it too parade with seconds to spare, she didn't really want to be late for her first shift back, but it looked like she just might be.

As she pushed the door, it met a sudden stop, so she pulled it back and tried again, a painful 'Crap' audible that made her freeze.

Stepping back she let go of the door, not at all surprised when it opened on its own, with Sam standing behind it.

This was so not the way he wanted to say good morning to Andy, with her hitting him in the face with a door, but her face made his pain worth it.

She just burst out laughing, a ridiculously loud echo surrounding him as she tried to cover her mouth with her hand before deciding to clasp both hands over her face to hide from him.

"I am so sorry" came out carried on a giggle, but he didn't care, he put the smile back on her face; the one he had stolen away long ago.

It made Sam smile too.

She took her hands away from her face to reveal red tinted cheeks and a superb smile.

"Are you okay?" She managed to say with a straighter face this time.

"Totally fine".

"Okay, see you" Andy said walking out of the room shaking her head.

Unbelievable.

She just left him standing there again.

Frank welcomed them back to a room that erupted with clapping and cheers before he burst Andy's bubble by handing out pairings.

Nick had a rookie on patrol, she was riding the front desk, and Marlo was attached to Sam by helping the D's- or Sam when Frank said Swarek.

So not how she had imagined her first day back.

Sam didn't miss the look Andy gave Frank when he said 'front desk' or the way she looked down when he was assigned Marlo.

But it had its benefits, Andy was starting to show the cracks and that was all he needed to know that there was still something there. As long as there was something there, he stood a chance.

Andy left the parade room talking to Nick and Traci, Sam holding back too give them room to leave.

They made a beeline for the coffee machine, before Nick stopped himself and asked his rookie to get his instead. Andy and Traci tried not to giggle at his face when he asked, it was so far from how they had been told to get their TO's coffee- Nick was asking. He even said please.

Traci skipped her coffee this morning so Andy went to get one for herself just in time to see Marlo leave the coffee stand carrying two cups instead of the expected one.

Figures.

Andy settled in behind the front desk with her coffee, her attention focused solely on manning the desk, as her first shift back started on a really bad note.

Lunch time came around and Andy's relief stepped in behind the desk so that she could take her break.

She noticed that Marlo left a while ago, probably heading out to go get her and Sam something for lunch.

Arg, she still couldn't help but notice those tiny annoying little things that she really shouldn't care about, but...she just couldn't help it.

Andy's stomach rumbled in protest while she made her way to the locker room to get some cash out of her purse before heading down the street to Lou's for a club sandwich and a sparkling water.

She was just nearing the locker room door when a familiar smell taunted her nostrils, a smell that made her stomach clench as it screamed 'feed me McNally, feed me'.

Andy stopped and looked up to find Sam biting into her all time favorite food- a pizzone from Chyrellies, this tiny little Italian restaurant across town.

It wasn't her favorite because it was Italian, no it was because of her favorite food group- pizza. But this was different, it was more like a pie, but still made out of pizza dough, and it was filled with that yummy bbq sauce, mushrooms, onions, ham, bacon, green peppers, salami, and tons of cheese and it was so mouthwatering and juicy.

Sam stopped and smiled her way after swallowing a nicely timed bite, one that made her mouth water.

"Want a bite?" Sam said licking his lips off just as she stopped outside the locker room door, where he stood and took another bite while her hand shifted around in the air looking for the door.

Andy pinched her eyes closed for a split second before opening them to see Sam lick his lips a second time.

He was infuriating.

She shook her head from side to side, not trusting her mouth to open and decline the offer. It wouldn't say no.

"I've got an extra one?" Sam said dangling his other hand up in front of her face, but again Andy declined and tried to find a small smile.

He really wanted her to share lunch with him? Seriously?

She hadn't even spoken to him in a week and here he was trying to buy her into forgiving him with her absolute favorite food?

Nope, she was going to stick to her guns no matter how mouth watering he... The pizzone was.

Andy scalded herself for the slip in thought before mumbling "nope, I've got it thanks" and fleeing to seek shelter in the locker room.

Sam wasn't really thrilled that she had run again, but it made sense. She wasn't quite used to being back or used to the shift in their relationship.

Seconds after she disappeared behind the closed door, it opened again, and there she was attempting to hide her bemused grin as she held out her hand and patiently waited for him to hand it over.

He'd ordered two, and he would never finish both. Oliver barely managed to finish one, so who was the other one for? Marlo had gone out to lunch, so it stood too reason that he had maybe, very small maybe, like teeny-weeny maybe, ordered the extra one for her.

But she wasn't holding her breath.

Sam looked up at her face, as she tried to keep herself hidden from sight behind the door, his head cocking to the side as he held his hand out, but out of her reach.

She'd have to step a little closer if she wanted this pizzone.

Andy was eventually wiggling her fingers as she let her gaze turn to a look that screamed 'Hand it over Swarek'.

"Please?" She said knowing that it was what he was waiting for.

Andy stepped a little closer and Sam set the bag down in her open hand, her fingers eagerly wrapping around the paper bag.

"Anytime" Sam said before walking away, Andy staring at him with a strange look on her face.

When Andy snapped out of it she saw an empty hallway, Sam having left before she could say thank you properly.

Opening the bag just to smell it's contents Andy went in the direction of the break room ready to eat her unexpected lunch.

Sam was at his desk reading over a file when Marlo arrived holding up a bag from Lou's.

She'd run out of the door as soon as lunch time came around, Sam guessing that she was just really hungry. He really had no idea that she'd bring him lunch back.

As Sam opened his mouth to let her down gently and decline her offer of food, his phone beeped.

Lifting it up, he found a text from Andy, a simple thank you.

"...About seven?"

Marlo's voice suddenly filtered through the haze.

Not wanting to be really rude, Sam looked up and mumbled "okay?" Hoping that she had asked a question that would be able to be answered with okay.

"I'm sorry what was that?" Sam asked when he saw Marlo frown because she had picked up on the fact that he was not paying attention.

"Drinks, Penny, Seven?" Marlo stated clearing it up.

Sam sat up straight in his chair and flattened all signs of his sudden self cursing as he schooled his features and merely nodded.

Marlo smiled in satisfaction before leaving the room after setting down the brown food bag on the end of his desk.

Sam watched her walk back in the direction of the evidence room, he'd assigned her to take the day and spend it looking through anything that might link a current case to cold cases that had the contents of duct tape, pliers and match book as evidence.

He needed it done but he also needed the space after seeing how well, unhappy it made Andy that Marlo was assigned to him for the shift.

Andy made it to the Penny in record time. She left the barn to meet up with Traci for some girl time and to celebrate her first shift back; not that they needed a reason to have drinks at the Penny.

Traci was running a little late but she had sent Andy a text, so Andy was planning on ordering them dinner and a bottle of wine while she waited.

Traci came in through the door just as Andy was done ordering, her familiar face a welcome sight.

"So, how was your day?" Traci asked as she slid into her seat beside Andy.

"Fine, yours?"

"Fine? Define fine?".

"Quiet, boring. Lonely, Sam may have bought me lunch?" Andy didn't miss the giant smile that invaded her friends face.

"May have?"

That was the thing about Traci, she never missed anything.

Sam was looking for anything to keep him at the barn late- but there just wasn't anything.

He had even asked Nash if he could do her paperwork, and on a lighthearted laugh she had told him that she was having dinner with Andy at the Penny- so she'd made sure that she didn't have any.

And that tiny little piece of knowledge made him feel like life was about to catch up on him; she would see him at the Penny with Marlo, and that so was not what he wanted.

At ten to seven he got a text from Marlo saying that she was running a little late, but she'd still meet him there.

So with no excuses, Sam left the barn and headed for the Penny hoping to have one quick drink before rushing out the door.

If the universe cooperated.

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Jelly Bean Jenna©