Chapter 4

When morning broke and the alarm rang Andy rolled over, cursing slightly under her breath before covering her head with her covers,

"Wow, another grand day "she said speaking to herself and the air around her

With some slight hesitation and she angled herself out of bed and headed towards the shower determined that she would start today off on a better note than she had the last few, she would be okay after all she really didn't have a right to be angry or to have emotions after all, she really did run this time and there was no going back.

Showered and changed she grabbed a quick cup of coffee before heading out her door, a door that would lead her out of her little cocoon that she didn't feel quite ready to leave yet but never the less she had to move on. Heading to the station her morning resolve teetering on the verge of disappearing, she quickly did a silent check to herself before running into get changed. Leaving the locker room, she felt an arm touch her shoulder, doing a double take she quickly glanced back "hey, what's up?"

"Got a minute?"

"Sam, I'm going to be late for parade can we talk later?"

"Look it will just take a second ok"

"Fine, "

Grabbing her hand pulled her into any empty interview room closing the door behind them, he looked at her for a minute and leaned against the door, but continued to look around at anything but her.

"Sam what is it, I have to parade and well you're not saying much are you so ill,"

"Look Andy, I don't know how to do this ok, I thought that if we cleared the air we could both move on, maybe friends again….sometime"

"Sam, its fine. Even though things happened the way they did, I will always love you and have a special place in my heart, even if its hard and things get bad, when it comes down to it I will always be there if you need me ok"

"So you think this friends thing will work" his tone was unsure

"Sam, I don't know ok, things are new now so with time maybe, like I said ill always care, but…."

"I know, but the same goes, I will always want to be there when it matters, ok."

Andy closed her eyes and took in a breath, she nodded her head before moving behind him to open the door, she could not look at him, and tears creeping into her eyes were quickly blinked away as she headed to a seat beside Nick.

"You ok" Nick asked glancing at Andy

"Yeah I'm good, I fill you in later ok." Nick nodded and turned his attention back to frank as he was entering the room

"Okay people, we have bolo out for one James Cynder he is wanted in connection with a string of arson fires in the warehouse district. He is believed to still be in the area and should be considered armed and dangerous if you think you have a lead call for back up immediately as he is known to be unstable. With that McNally/Epstein, Shaw/Collins the rest of you your assignments are on the board get out there and have each other's backs.

Nick looked over at Andy and smiled "never a dull moment huh" he whispered

"Not for us she laughed"

"Look ill catch ya after shift, have a good one and be careful, if I need to remind you" he laughed

"Same back partner"

"Hey I thought I was your partner today?" Dov said fraying hurt

"You are "Collins said "but the rest of the times she mine so watch her back"

"As always" Dov responded before they watched nick head out of the room

"Ready "he asked

"You bet "Andy replied as they made their way out to the car. In the corner by the far door Sam stood there with a blank stare on his face, he had listened as Nick had told Epstein to keep her safe because she was his partner, was that for work purposes of life purposes he didn't know, all he knew is that used to be his line and his job but whether he should care, the fact is he still did. As Sam returned to his office to begin his day, he was stopped by Marlo just outside the door "hey" she said as she entwined their fingers

"Hey look I'm"

"I know you've been busy, it's okay why don't we meet tonight at my place ill make you dinner we can relax together?"

"Look I'm not sure what time I'm going to get out of here, I'll call you ok"

"Are we ok Sam you've been distant since McNally came back, I know she's playing games with your head but…?"

"don't go there Marlo, this "he said motioning between them: has nothing to do with Andy ok, I just need some space ok, I'll call you later if I can alright"

"fine Sam, but don't let this come between us ok "with[S1] that she left the room and Sam went about trying to get rid of his enormous headache which he couldn't seem to get rid of since the day had even started.

It had been only a couple of hours since parade when the d's where called to the scene that dov and Andy had attended. They were advised that one of the officers had been injured but where still on scene feeling a sense of urgency he picked up his pace, when he arrived he saw what he had feared Andy was in the back of the ambulance, an icepack on her head, bruising forming around her neck barely visible from the shadowing which her uniform caused, the paramedic said something to her before touching her shoulder causing her flinch, as Sam was about to head over to her he noticed someone approaching the ambulance the look of concern caught his eye. Sam watched as the man came up to Andy and gently raised her chin so he could look at her face and neck, it took several moments for Sam to take in his appearance he had on a uniform also, damn it was a hose monkey "what the hell" he thought, what does he think he's doing touching her, he doesn't even know her he thought, or does he, the fact remained that again there was a lot Sam Swarak could be guilty of not knowing or assuming, his headache was back, who was he kidding it never left it just got worse.

The day progressed slowly pieces of the story unraveling slowly Dov and Andy had responded to a report of a domestic disturbance that had quickly escalated. The husband and father in the home had threatened his wife and children when he through a lit cigarette into a garbage can full of paper, when they had arrived on scene the father had refused to let his wife and family pass causing one of the children to begin to suffer burns from a fire that had quickly spread to the nearby curtains. Andy jumped in without thinking and using her lions heart as Sam had always called it, tried to prevent further harm to the little girl being assaulted and strangled in the process by the father until the "hose monkey "had stepped into to aid her. Sam had stood across from Epstein his eyes twitching in disbelief "where were you when all this was happening"

"I was trying to get the mother to calm down when the guy grabbed his daughters arm back and basically over the fire, which is when Andy stepped in, if she didn't that little girl would have been scarred forever or killed"Dov stated

Sam looked over at Andy still sitting in the back of the ambulance, the hose monkey had his arm on hers, she gave him a small smile, those smiles used to make his day, in turn he leaned down and whispered in her ear she blushed back at him, and nodded. He took her hand and helped her down from the back of the rig as they made their way back towards Dov and the others, he watched from behind his note pad as they joined the group collecting his thoughts and putting back up his walls that had somehow fallen in the last few hours since this day had started.

"Hey"Andy said as she looked at him directly

"McNally"

"Do you need anything from me before I head off "she asked her look puzzling?

"Yeah ill need to get your statement Dov gave me the rundown already so just some details. I can get them from you at the station in a bit if you like?" Sam said trying to sound unphased

"im going to take her home, she's pretty banged up and they said she needed to rest with everything that had happened."Andy's companion replied

"And you are?"Sam inquired

"Sorry I'm Vincent Bailey, I work out of fire house 6"he said raising his hand to shake.

"Sam swarak, 15th division"

"Glad to meet ya "Vincent replied

"Are you ready Andy" he asked glancing over at her

"I think I need to go back to the station I need to give my statement and sign out everything…."she tried to continue but began coughing hard

"Andy come on I'll take you home "Vincent replied

"look, Vincent one of us will take her home and make sure she's alright, thanks for the help but we look after our own "Sam replied his words leaving no room for misunderstanding

"look, I need to get back to the station I don't care how I do, but I just want to…."Andy shuddered before things became blurry and she closed her eyes to feel the room spinning that was the last thought she had before she collapsed to the ground.

A/N

please review as always and thanks for support, anyone know of a beta pls pm me:)

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