This chapter almost wrote itself, the characters just told me where they wanted to go. It's a little bit of a filler chapter, the calm before the storm if you wish, because even Andy McNally can't outrun her problems. I hope you like it, and thanks a bundle for the reviews, they make me smile.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

After Andy had finished successfully evacuating the contents of her stomach onto the side of the road, the rest of shift had been rather uneventful. Sam had stopped into a convenience store to grab her some Gravol, which had lessened her nausea but done nothing for her shame.

"I'm sorry again, about the.. you know" She said, making vomit motions with her hands as they pulled into the parking lot.

"McNally, if you apologize one more time I swear I might puke."

"I know, I just...I'm so sor-"

Sam cut her off with a look before she could finish.

"McNally, it wasn't a big deal."

Andy threw her hands up in the air, frustrated at the response that she'd heard each of the twenty times she'd apologized that day.

"Yes Officer Swarek, it was a big deal. It is a big deal! I showed up to shift hungover and I made you stop the car so that I could throw up! What would have happened if you'd needed backup or something and I couldn't handle it because I was too busy TOSSING MY COOKIES?"

"Tossing your cookies, really McNally?"

"Sam it isn't funny. It was completely irresponsible and a total rookie move, so why won't you stop saying that its fine and just reprimand me for it!"

"Like you're already not reprimanding yourself enough already?"

"Sam…"

"McNally, you made a mistake. It happens. Now get out of my car so I can get home and get to bed. You're not the only one with a hangover you know."

"But I-…"

"McNally…" He said, in a warning tone.

"Fine, whatever." She said, getting out of the car and closing the door with a little more force than necessary.

The slam made Sam's head hurt, he really needed a couple more Advil. He knew he should have reprimanded her… Hell, if it had been any other rookie he probably would have driven them straight back to the station and handed them over to Frank, but he just couldn't do that to her. He didn't really want her to get in trouble, but more than that, he didn't want her to feel guilty for the night before. It was his coffee table she'd been dancing on…

"Shit" He swore, for the second time that day. His head still hurt, they never really got a chance to talk about last night, and although he would never admit it to himself, Sam Swarek had just let his feelings interfere with his job.

Traci walked into the locker room and just stood and watched Andy for a minute. After Andy had slammed her locker door open, slammed her duffel onto the bench and then slammed the door shut again, Traci thought she should intervene before someone got hurt. Namely the locker.

"So I'm guessing your day went pretty well…"

Andy looked up from her little rampage, saw Traci and then flopped down onto the bench beside her duffel bag.

"Oh ya, it was just fantastic Trace." She sighed, putting her head in her hands.

"What happened?" Traci asked, moving to sit next to her friend. Andy just sat there in silence.

"Andy?"

"I barfed."

"You what?"

"I barfed Traci. On patrol. I had Sam pull over so that I could throw up."

"Oh…" Traci murmured, trying to hold back a giggle.

Andy looked up from her hands.

"Traci! This is so not funny."

" I know, but it kinda is…"

Andy glared at her friend.

"Maybe just a little?" Traci asked with a smile.

" Fine." Andy conceded, "Maybe a little." She smiled back at Traci.

"But then Swarek wouldn't yell at me for it. He told me that it was fine, and it was like he actually meant it! It wasn't all training-officer-voice-it's-fine, it was like…"

"Like it was actually fine?" Traci finished.

"Exactly!"

Traci sighed, Andy was a good cop but sometimes she just didn't have a clue.

"Andy, maybe he said it was fine since a couple hours ago you two were together getting drunk?"

" I know, but he was fine! He didn't need to feel guilty!"

"Maybe he just didn't want you to feel like you shouldn't come to him if you need something."

"Traci, I wouldn't stop going to him for help just because he yelled at me once..."

Traci paused, trying to be subtle but hoping Andy might get it.

"Maybe he didn't want to take that chance."

Andy looked at her for a moment, then blew the air out of her mouth, causing her bangs to flutter.

"Ya, I guess I get it Trace" She said gathering up her duffel bag and heading for the door. "Thanks for the talk, I needed it. I'll see you tomorrow?"

Traci smiled. "Yep, see you tomorrow."

Traci watched the locker room door close and then stood up to start gathering her things out of her locker.

She sighed, "No Andy, I don't think you get it. I don't think you get it at all."

Andy was out of the locker room and halfway down the hall before she realized she didn't know where she was going.

"Crap" She said, turning around to go see if Traci could give her a ride, then swinging back around in the direction she'd been headed when she realized that she couldn't ask Traci for a ride because then she'd know that something was up with her and Luke.

Damnit, Luke! She thought, realizing with the whole Sam debacle it was the first time she'd really thought about him since arriving at work.

"Impressive McNally, you clearly know how to prioritize" She muttered to herself sarcastically, trying to quell the nausea in her stomach that had nothing to do with her hangover.

Luke and Joe…

"Do you make a habit of talking to yourself in empty hallways McNally?"

"Do you make a habit of interrupting people when they're in the middle of their own personal thoughts Swarek?"

"You don't have personal thoughts McNally, everything you think, you say. It's part of your charm. And the lack of a brain to mouth filter."

"Oh believe me, I'm not saying a lot of the things I'm thinking about you right now…"

Sam chuckled, then looked at her.

" About earlier, you know-"

"Sam, it's fine. I don't know what I was so upset about. You didn't want to yell at me, I should have been happy about that, not getting mad at you for it." She said, starting to walk past him.

"Alright." He moved to the side so she could pass.

"Andy?"

She stopped walking, "Ya?"

"I saw you coming in with Traci this morning, did you need a ride home or something?"

She blushed, remembering how she'd attempted to hide for him.

"I came in with Traci because I'd spent the night at her place. I locked myself out, remember?" She said, thinking back to the lie she'd told last night.

"Ya right, nevermind then" He said, turning towards the locker room.

"But Sam?"

"Ya?"

"I'm thinking about going to visit my dad tonight, and Luke's probably still working… So I could maybe use a ride there?"

"Of course, meet you at the truck in five?"

"Ya, thanks" Andy said, heading out towards the parking lot.

Thank goodness the truck is big. She thought, scanning the parking lot in case Luke was around, trying to find her to offer another useless apology. I can hide behind it.