Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story since I uploaded the last chapter, it really means a lot to know that you're still enjoying it even after so long. I just wanted to reply to jh126 and say that it was never my intention to leave this story so long without an update but I had written the chapters all on my old faulty laptop and had put them on a memory stick for safe keeping then my laptop broke and I thought I'd lost all the chapters I'd previously written completely forgetting that I'd saved them elsewhere. Hopefully that clears everything up!

I didn't realise that this chapter was so short but I can reassure you the next chapters are a lot longer so I'm going to deem this chapter as a filler chapter.

Hope you enjoy!


Chapter Seven

Sleep seemed to evade Georgia. She tossed and turned in the short hours that she was able to sleep but it wasn't the good quality of sleep she desperately needed. She couldn't remember the last time she had a decent night's sleep what with the case she'd been working on as well as building a rapport with Ricky and his men. Her sleep pattern was scattered, and she hoped that without the case looming over her life, she would be able to restore everything that had become wayward in her life. She slipped out of bed just as her phone alarm began to fill the silence of the motel room.

Georgia quickly washed, knowing that a shower would only cause her to become agitated. She glanced in the mirror and sighed, the dark circles under her eyes screaming at her. She'd just finished dressing as a knock echoed throughout the room and she made her way to the door.

Nick Collins stood outside. She opened the door.

"Hey," Georgia said. "I'm just putting my shoes on."

"You have some time before we have to leave," Nick replied, entering the room. "I got here early."

Georgia nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed. She found difficulty in leaning over and pulling them onto her feet. The pain medication she was given for her shoulder never even touched to surface and she refused to take them if they weren't going to help her with the overwhelming pain. She almost needed to feel the pain throbbing from her shoulder; it was a good sign that she was alive, and everything that had happened was over. Nick noticed the trouble she was having with her shoes and knelt down in front of her.

"You don't have to propose," Georgia joked. "We've only known each other for two minutes."

Nick smirked. "Let me help."

She was about to refuse his offer but he took charge and slipped her trainers onto her feet. She watched as he tied the laces and then looked up at her. "There we go, all done," he said, and after a moment, he stood up.

"We should go," Georgia said, checking the time on her watch.

They left the motel and walked down towards the patrol car parked outside. Nick opened the passenger door for her, and she slipped into the vehicle, as he shut the door and walked over to the driver's side where he opened the door and slipped into the driver's seat. As Nick drove to the station, Georgia took the opportunity to look out the window at the city she grew up in and the streets she knew like the back of her hand. She had only been back for a couple of months but she mostly stayed in the same part of the city and away from anyone she knew. She took an apartment close by to where Ricky and his men were all dealing, knowing that the further away she was to the city was best for her and the case. Being with Ricky had taught her to keep her enemies closer to her, and to not trust anything that came out of his mouth. To spend so much time with someone on a one-to-one basis the majority of the time, it began to have effects on her and for Georgia, she was able to acknowledge that she was becoming too involved with the case, and with Ricky's life in a way she was never able to prepare for. She needed him to trust her and it had been the only way.

"So… you're from around here?" Nick's voice filled the silence, and Georgia took her attention off the scenery and towards the man.

"Born and raised," nodded Georgia.

"Me too," Nick said, nodding. "I left a few years back to serve our country."

"Wow," Georgia said. "Afghanistan?"

Nick nodded. "Did three tours, and now I'm here."

"That's great," Georgia smiled genuinely. "My brother served in Afghanistan too."

"Really? What's his name?"

"James Carlson," Georgia answered.

"No way! I knew him!" Nick said, eyebrows furrowing in shock. "How's he doing?"

Georgia faltered at that moment and bit her lip. "He, um… he didn't make it."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Nick replied.

"You weren't to know," Georgia said, sadly. "So you knew him well?"

"Yeah, I did. He always had a smile on his face despite everything. He had these crazy stories that he would tell us and he'd have us all in stitches. I got shot one day and he pulled me to safety, and if he hadn't, well I wouldn't be here. It's a shame that good people like him are gone," Nick replied.

Georgia smiled at Nick's words. "He cared a lot about people."

"Yeah he did," Nick whispered.

The station came into view and the anxiety swirling in Georgia's stomach began to bite at her skin. She saw Oliver waiting outside as Nick parked the patrol car. She got out and Nick followed her as she made her way towards Oliver.

"You ready?" Oliver asked, taking in her pale skin and tired eyes.

"No, but I don't have much choice," Georgia replied, following after Oliver.

As he led her towards the room that her debrief was going to happen in, she was aware of the other officers turning their attention to her. Her eyes skimmed their faces and saw some old ones and some new ones. She turned the corner, and she saw Sam standing next to Andy. They were talking quietly to each other before, almost like a sixth sense, Sam turned to look at her. She felt herself sigh before looking elsewhere. It was easier for her to ignore him, even though every part of her was screaming at her.

"Here we are," Oliver said, coming to an office. Glass windows spread around the entire room which meant that there wouldn't be much privacy. "You are allowed someone in with you if that's what you want."

"I'll be fine," Georgia replied. Her eyes fell on the man who was sat at the computer desk, and watched as his gaze lifted to her. He stood up and made his way towards them. He opened the door.

"You must be Georgia," he said, extending his hand to her.

Georgia took in hers and shook. "It is."

"Let's get started, shall we?" he asked before motioning for her to enter his office. As he closed the door behind her, Georgia allowed herself to gaze out at the people resuming their work, and her eyes fell upon Sam whose eyes met her own.


Edited 6th April

Author's Note (2): After a couple of reviews posted for this chapter, I felt the need to edit this and post a small message. To Jazz (Guest): this is my interpretation of Rookie Blue and Sam's story. Even though he said it in the show that he's never loved anyone before Andy, some things within the show won't be relevant in this story. Again, this is my interpretation. Thank you.