A/N: Thanks for the continued encouragement and support of this story. We've got a way to go yet ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own Rookie Blue


Mid January 2014

Pa~tience (n). The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.


Andy hesitates, worrying about how Sam might react with the news.

She decides to hedge her bets and break it to him gently, and in a round about kind of way.

"Okay. Here's the thing. We. Um." Shit. This is actually a whole lot more difficult than she thought it might be. She knows how he feels about –

She tries again.

This time Andy decides to add a little bit of physicality to the revelation. He normally can't say no to her when she's got his mouth on him. She nips a little at the back of his shoulder and works her body in close behind.

Sam keeps his toothbrush in his mouth as he looks at her through the vanity mirror. "What's up, McNally?" He squints his eyes and scrubs some more before he offloads the frothy white that was cleaning his teeth. "Spit it out."

Andy pauses, and smiles, and then -

"We're probably gonna need to get that new mattress and frame for the 3rd bedroom quicker than we thought." Andy blurts it all out at the speed of lightning; quick smart so Sam can't interrupt.

He dumps his toothbrush in the holder and turns to face her properly. His eyebrows are…high…to say the very least. "Oh yeah. Why's that? You plannin' on movin' Epstein in to add to our…brood?" He grins at her like their full house is her fault.

"Hey." Andy jabs at Sam with the pointier end of her toothbrush. "I wasn't the one who told Oliver he could stay as long as he liked." She hisses the accusation out in a whisper, making sure her colleague down the hall can't hear. It's not that she doesn't love Oliver…or Gail…but it's starting to feel like the whole of division 15 is taking over their house.

Sam counts the thumb, index, and middle finger of his left hand out to her one by one. "Three months Peck's been here. And not once has she mentioned anything about movin' on."

Sam sounds like a freaking know-it-all, is what Andy thinks.

"Ahem," Andy tilts her head like Boo when Sam whistles at him real loud. "That's your fault too, remember?" She clears her throat to delve into the lowest octaves she can reach: "Take the time you need…" and then she brings her voice back to its normal self. "You're words. Not mine."

Andy is pointing her toothbrush around like it's a baton – until she nearly pokes Sam in the eye.

He grabs her hand just before it gets lethal. "Would you just brush your damn teeth, McNally?"

Andy bumps her chest against Sam indicating he's at fault there too. "You're in my way," she growls at him and then shoves some more.

He doesn't move an inch.

Andy doesn't know how this conversation has escalated into one of their heated little spats, and it could be her imagination…but the bathroom has gone all steamy -

And Sam's eyes have turned very, very dark.

There's a tension between them that is palpable. Possibly one wrong word or a single false move will set them both off like it's the 4th of July.

Sam straightens his posture and looks Andy square in the eye.

In the background, Andy hears one of the taps drip –

Just once.

Sam murmurs at her after the long stretch of silence, his voice barely audible – but it still spreads goosebumps over every part of her.

"Thought you liked when I was a good guy, McNally." His tone isn't threatening or patronizing actually, it's –

Hot.

That's probably all Andy can think in terms of describing it right now – especially with the way he's looking at her. Still –

This is one argument that Andy needs to win…so –

She sniffs and huffs and flicks her hair to break his spell. Which –

Causes Sam to make a face that looks to Andy like he's trying desperately not to laugh.

He bumps himself off the vanity and takes a small step forward, a move that only serves to get them impossibly closer.

Andy tries very hard not to think about the fact that Sam's chest is bare and his muscles are so stupidly well defined.

She tries not to think about his damn face and how he's looking at her and how he kisses her and how he –

But.

She is only human after all.

There is, like. At least a few seconds where she doesn't tilt her chin up for him to kiss her.

But then she does. And she can't help it…

She even closes her freaking eyes.

Andy's body hums as she feels Sam's mouth hover over hers, the way his fresh breath tickles at her lips and that warmth that's radiating from him –

He whispers to her. In that soft, gentle voice that he has when he shows her that he loves her.

"Why do we need the new bed, McNally? What's wrong with the old one that's in there now?"

Andy's eyes pop wide open – and she snarls at him again.

Whatever.

She is not opposed to using her feminine wiles as a last resort.

She slinks around the non-existent space between them (making sure to skim her breasts across him wherever she can).

She gets to where she's going eventually; squeezing herself between Sam and the sink.

When she's nestled in there nicely, Andy squirts some toothpaste on the brush. She also proceeds to wiggle her ass against the silk of his boxers…just a little bit.

And, yep.

She felt a fairly sizable response.

Sam catches her by the hips before she can do it again.

He holds her firm against him – and lets her feel just how hard he is.

Andy closes her eyes and tries to regulate her breathing, but he's making it nearly impossible – especially with the way the tips of his fingers just ducked under the edges of her boy shorts.

"Who?" he demands when he's got her flustered to the point where she just wants him to take the damn things off.

Andy squeaks as she thinks of what she's about to miss out on –

"My mom."

Sam lets go of her and jumps back like he's just been burned.

And it's a problem for Andy too because…

Well, because.

Andy swallows hard and turns to look at Sam. "It's only for a week." Truly, she sounds pathetic and pleading even to herself.

"More like 168 potential hours of her chastising me." Sam is somewhere near the door jamb as he says it – he's gone well and truly cold.

"Babe." Andy tiptoes over there softly.

"C'mon. She's not that bad." Andy does her best to level a voice at him that will reinforce that she's on his side, but it's also important that Sam and Claire get over this stupid grudge match –

"She gonna give you any more pearls of wisdom this time?" Sam cocks his head and chews the inside of his cheek. His arms have been folded for a while, but now they drop so his hands can get on his hips.

Andy rolls her eyes and then stretches her mouth into a grimace that's not quite. "Unfair. You broke my heart back then."

Sam's whole body leans to the right and thuds on that side of the door frame. He keeps looking Andy's way, but something about his face changes.

"I wasn't just talking about that time, Andy."

He looks up at the ceiling before he looks her in the eye again. "It's been something or other ever since…and you know it has."

Andy lets out a loud and noisy breath as she moves closer to him still. "Sam." She pleads with him softly. "You know you don't say many good words about her either." Andy puts her fingers on Sam's bare chest, testing –

He lets Andy fumble around there, watching her face closely while she tries to find the right words. "I know she's not perfect, okay. I know she's taken the easy road more than once already…" Andy bites her lip. "I'd just like you both to try."

She feels the muscles in Sam's chest relax after her request.

He puts a hand in her hair and strokes his way through gently. He clears his throat as he keeps a few strands between his fingers and after an eternity of silence -

"I…okay, sweetheart."

Sam leans his face to Andy's forehead and kisses her gently where she's held a frown. "When's she here?"

Andy twists her mouth and peers up through some eyelashes hoping this look will get her by. "Before the end of the week."

Sam's jaw drops open. He looks as though he's about to say something but he doesn't. He just grins and shakes his head.


Sam does make an effort as it turns out; starting with putting up with Andy's decision about exactly which bedroom setting and mattress to get.

"Whatever you want, sweetheart," Sam tells her as he looks at his watch. "Just remember we told Noelle we'd be at theirs in time for dinner…tonight…"

They've been standing in the middle of InStyle for well over an hour…well, save the few times that they've walked out when Andy decided she wanted to try another store.

"Fine, fine." Andy points to the very first setting she liked. "Let's take this one…" She grins at Sam and quirks an eyebrow, knowing what might help to keep him relatively cool and calm. "But lets just roll around on that mattress once more…just to be sure."

Sam doesn't do a very good job of giving her a 'seriously?' look; his mouth twitches and his eyes twinkle as Andy flips backward onto the bed.


"Ugh, could you be any more adorable?" Andy coos at Olivia as soon as Noelle answers the door to them with babe on hip.

Noelle motions with her free hand. "You sound like Frank." She pats at Sam's cheek before she gives Andy half a hug. "When he's talkin' to me."

"It's the dimples, Noelle" Sam smirks and gives her some of his own. "They work without fail."

Andy watches on, um -

Flustered and…something…as Sam reaches for the baby and gives her a gentle kiss on the head.

Andy can't handle seeing him with anyone under 16 without feeling like…well, without feeling like she wants to jump his bones.

If it's one thing Andy realizes more than ever…it's that she couldn't really see herself as a mother before her love for Sam came along.

(Oliver, Traci, Chris, Noelle and Frank have all made fun of her in the past – the way she stares at Sam when any of their little ones come within cooee of him. Come to think of it, so have Dov and Gail.

For godsake. Andy can't help it if Sam is good with kids).

She tries not to look at him now as holds the baby up, but then she sees Noelle smirking at her and all she can do is blush.

"Ninja, princess. You gonna show me how your dimples are coming along?" Sam asks the baby with his biggest smile. Olivia giggles with delight as she looks down at Sam and wiggles her chubby baby arms and legs as some sort of indication to fly her up in the air some more.

"My turn," Andy demands abruptly - before she has to take anymore of this scene.

"Jesus, McNally. Can you at least wait 'til he gets you home?" Apparently Noelle is on a roll tonight with her droll sense of humor – possibly a punishment she's dishing out to Andy for distracting Sam from the weekly dinners that he used to have with them.

Sam smiles soft at Andy and gently passes Olivia across. "C'mon, Williams…you'd better feed us before we turn your place into a zoo." He puts his arm around Noelle's shoulder and they head toward the kitchen, where there are some truly delicious smells coming from.

Andy follows close behind, bouncing the baby on her hip. "Olivia, it smells like your mom and dad are good cooks."

The little girl smiles up at Andy – and makes a grab for her hair.


Andy's only ever been to Frank and Noelle's a couple of times before this –

Once upon a time she would've sworn it would be awkward having dinner with all these officers that are superior in rank. But, it's relaxed and casual and a lot of fun…and Frank and Noelle really are good cooks.

(One thing Andy found out about Sam's rookie days: He, Jerry and Noelle were housemates for a while…Noelle and Sam occasionally having bakeoffs to release some stress, when the boxing ring wasn't free).

Apparently spending time in the kitchen together is something Frank and Noelle share in common with Andy and Sam now too. As a result, the four swap recipes and tips over dinner and generally talk a lot about domestic kind of stuff.

Frank is also pushy when it comes to talking wedding plans (he was beside himself with happiness at his own). Apparently they're good friends with a local florist (who would've thought), so he insists to Sam and Andy that he will line them up for a chat and a quote.

Sam just looks at Frank bemused during the entire discussion about daisies and other flowers that are Andy's favorite sort.


Just before dessert is served, all four adults take part in the ritual of putting Olivia to bed for the night –

"I'm surprised she can feel damn sleepy with you mob breathing down her neck," Noelle hisses at the other three as she tucks the baby in.

Andy feels the touch of Sam's hand on her back as Noelle shoos them out of the room.


"So." Frank ponders over some pudding 5 minutes later. "Should I be expecting some maternity and – or – paternity leave applications anytime soon."

Without even looking, Andy's pretty sure she has the same expression as Sam.

She swallows hard at the lump of dessert that just got stuck in her throat and blinks her eyes a few times.

Sam splutters out some water as the other hand that was previously on Andy's leg under the table now flinches away like it might've been burned. "No boss," Sam tells Frank seriously. "Well, at least not in this calendar year."

Andy looks at Sam and bites her lips and wonders.

She knows they both have come to terms with the fact they do want a family…but they haven't discussed the when that might be. She tries not to let her thoughts run away now, here at the Staff Sergeants…

Tries not to let any of that mild panic show on her face about the mixture of feelings she gets about anything to do with the reality of becoming a mom.

It appears that Noelle is watching Andy's thought processes, but instead of her usual humorous jab, she smiles warm and genuine – and her face goes very soft. "You've got time on your side, McNally." She casts her eyes from Andy to Sam and back again. "And whatever - or whenever - you do decide….well, I know you'll make a great mom and dad."

Andy smiles at their hostess, appreciative of her thoughts.

She knows a little about the wait Noelle had to endure when she decided she wanted to be a mother. "Thanks," Andy responds finally, quietly….and then she looks again at Sam.

He seems to have relaxed a little more too, thankfully; his warm hand back to rubbing gently above Andy's knee.


"I had a really nice night," Andy tells Sam later as she curls into him and his side of the bed.

Sam turns slightly to face her and runs some fingers through her hair. "Andy, you know I'm not in any hurry either, right?" he whispers to her soft and calm. "I mean. I'm still tryin' to wrap my head around the fact that you're my…life."

Andy smiles at the expression.

To Sam, that's what he meant….that's why he wanted her to be his wife. "I know…me too," her voice is quiet as well. "I mean…I know I'm a girl with the plan…but some things…kinda freak me out...even when I want them so much."

Sam strokes at Andy's hair again and then kisses her cheek. "Me too." He clears his throat and swallows audibly. "But Noelle was right. You will be a great mom."

Andy smiles at him, but feels a little pensive nonetheless. She wonders not for the first time whether she'll inherit some of Claire's 'motherly' traits.

She shakes her head to stop those thoughts, before Sam can ask what's in her head. She doesn't want to think about it now. She doesn't want the grudge building again just as her mother is about to arrive back in town.

Instead, Andy uses a distraction – for Sam and for herself. She rolls on top of Sam and pushes down on him. "But God. I just have to tell you. When I look at you with kids? Ugh. It feels like my hormones are on fire."

Andy cuts off Sam's laugh abruptly by thrusting her hips over his.


"I…I didn't realize you had such a full house." Claire smiles nervously at Andy as they walk up the stairs to put her luggage in the room a couple of days later. "I'm not...putting you out am I…being here?"

Her mother has been giving profuse thanks and checking in to ensure she's not being a burden ever since Andy picked her up at the airport a couple of hours ago. Andy smiles at Claire to try and assure her that this isn't an inconvenience. "We're happy you could come and stay…mom. And Gail and Oliver being here…it's temporary, but…Well, you'll see…we all make it work."

Claire clears her throat and looks around the room. "Well. The house is wonderful, Andy…from the original pictures you sent me, I can tell you and Sam have done a lot of work."

Andy smiles; pleased with the approval of her mother. "There's not a lot more we want to do on it now. After the honeymoon….well, after we can put some life back into our savings account, we want to change some of the light fittings and curtains…but that's about it."

Claire turns in her spot and fidgets with the hem of her cardigan. "About that. I'd really like to contribute to the wedding…"

Andy puts her arm that has a cast on it up to stop the flow of conversation. "Really, it's not necessary. Not that we've made definite plans yet, but we're keeping it low-key and simple. We have enough for that put aside."

Claire folds her arms in front of her and speaks with some gentle assertiveness. "Andrea…I really want to help out in some way, shape, or form."

Andy knows that Claire's expensive gift for their housewarming was a way of making up for not being around for it…and probably a small thing to make up for the other times she wasn't around too.

Andy reaches her hands up to pull her hair back into a ponytail (a task that Sam, Gail and Trace have had to help her with lately), all of a sudden feeling a little unsure –

"Well. You will be at the wedding, right?"

Claire frowns and keeps her arms folded. "Andy…" her voice waivers as she says the name she doesn't prefer to use. "Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Andy's fingers slide through her hair and twist at the ends. She nods in fits and starts and bites at her lip. "Well. Okay. Great. And, um…you know Ed will be invited too…and…?"

Her stomach turns, thinking after all that it may not be such a great idea – she did meet her mother's partner once…but hasn't even had the opportunity to meet her two half siblings yet –

Claire casts her eyes down and then back up. "They'd like that, I'm sure…we'll arrange for you to meet them before then of course." She smiles small at Andy, testing: "That's if we can ever drag Daniel away from his travels in Europe…"

Andy swallows a lump as she thinks about these two young people that grew up with the mother that walked away from her – of how her life might've been different if that wasn't the case.

"Jennifer is very eager to meet you, you know?" Her mother speaks softly – but it's like she's stuck to the floor. "Actually, I'm going to fly to Ottawa on Sunday to visit her for a few days too."

(Of the little Andy does know about her 20 year old half-sister, she knows that by all accounts she's highly intelligent – she's studying neurology and is headed for a career in treating disorders related to nerves, which –)

Andy thinks that could be ironic, given her own current state, but she bucks up and brushes at the sides of her sweater. "Well…maybe we can meet halfway some time."

Andy notices Boo in the doorway waiting and feels a sense of relief that the topic can change. She looks over at her mother and tilts her head in the direction of the dog. "Would you like to come for a walk?"


"Does Sam always work this late?" Claire asks as they prepare dinner later, the house otherwise very, very quiet.

Andy knows for a fact that Oliver and Gail are eating at The Penny with a few of the others tonight. She also knows that Sam and Traci are stuck in Interview 1 with a suspect, and have been for the past few hours – save the minute Sam took a break to get some coffee and text Andy to let her know he could be another hour or two.

Andy whips her head around to look at what expression Claire might be wearing – she'd better not already be on the case of Sam.

Claire has the peeler in her hand poised above a potato, and quirks an eyebrow in Andy's direction.

Andy feels herself flush with annoyance, she really doesn't think she should even justify Sam's absence, but –

"He's working a little later than usual. Sometimes one of us needs to do that…comes with the job, you know?" Andy's tone sounds snarky, even to herself. But she won't just stand here and let Claire come across as a know-it-all. Not when she isn't even in their lives in any regular way.

"I was just asking, Andrea," Claire says with some nonchalance as she goes back to peeling vegetables. "I mean. I know how cases ate up your father's life once he made detective…"

Andy gawks at her mother.

If that's what this is about, Andy is even angrier. "Well. I guess it's fortunate that both Sam and I know what the job is about…and that's why we support each other…every single day." She says every word almost like it's a sentence, and they each cut like a knife.

Claire turns to face Andy properly, a somewhat resigned look on her face. "I did try to support your father, Andrea…"

But Andy cuts her off quickly, not wanting to hear a diatribe about how much Tommy failed.

"I'm sure you did. Now, can we please just finish preparing dinner…Sam will be home soon."

Andy does her best to go about setting the table one-handed and mutters a final sentence before some extended silence is sure to fill the room: "And I'd really prefer that you not call me that."


The atmosphere in the house is still very cool when Sam walks through the door under half an hour later…but somehow he manages to make things warm.

He runs a palm from the back of Andy's neck to her waist as he leans in to kiss her hello. "Sorry, sweetheart. That turned out bigger than we thought."

He keeps his hand on her as he turns to Andy's mom and greets her with…well…with what for Sam is a really friendly voice. "Hi Claire…good to see you here." He has to know there's some tension in the room, but if he does, he's not letting on.

"Nice to see you too, Sam." Claire pushes off the bench to walk to Sam slowly and hold out her hand.

Sam does well to disguise the way he rolls his eyes – at least to Claire.

He takes a couple of his own steps forward and gives Andy's mother a not totally unawkward hug and a kiss.

Andy plucks at Sam's shirt so he has to come back in her direction. "You get a confession?"

Sam smiles small and rubs his hand gentle over the top of her hip. "We did. Guy even spilled the beans about the whole damn ring."

Andy grins, pleased about her partners most recent success. She pushes to her toes and kisses him fondly. "Proud of you."

She can't help but peer over his shoulder as he wraps her into a hug.

Andy gives her mother a silent look that says I'm not you, and I never will be.


"Everything okay?" Sam asks quietly as he walks up behind Andy when she's at their dresser later that night. He kisses her soft on the top of her shoulder and puts his hands light on her waist.

Andy gives him a crooked grin through the mirror. "Oh. What. You mean you didn't notice me shooting daggers at my mother all night?"

She rubs her good hand over her face to moisturize and then turns to pat at Sam's chest to get the excess off.

His own smirk matches hers now. "Oh. I noticed alright." Sam's hands move to cover and still Andy's. "Anything you want to talk about?" His face turns serious with the question and he makes sure Andy looks him in the eye.

She sighs long and loud and then butts her head into his shoulder and keeps it there. "It's not that I don't appreciate her concern…" Andy is unsure of whether to tell him the details of the interaction; she really doesn't want him to have any excuse to not make the type of effort that she's happy he made tonight (despite her own issues with Claire). In the spirit of honesty though –

"I think she's worried we'll end up like them."

Sam nods because he understands the reference. His hands slide up the sides of Andy until they're standing completely still in a hug. "That's 'cause she doesn't know us."

Andy squeezes some fingers into Sam's shoulders and she closes her eyes; she's breathing steadily now and feels calm and happy for the first time tonight.

"True." She sighs again as she remembers the conversation from the earlier part of the day. "But despite any reservations she might have…she wants to kick in some money to make sure we get hitched." It's a thin attempt at humor and she knows it, but she would like to know Sam's thoughts on it anyway.

Sam is one step ahead though: "What'd you tell her?"

Andy looks up at him and rolls her eyes. "That we've got it covered…and to make sure she gets her sorry ass there."

He smiles down at her and laughs out a snort. "Couldn't have put it better myself."


"I don't even want to try on anything else," Andy twirls and grins at herself in the body-length mirror as she gets a good look at the back (or partially non-existent back in the case of this dress).

The three faces staring back at her look on in awe. "Holy smoke, Mrs-Swarek-to-be…we may have to pick Sam up off the floor," Traci announces with a huge smirk on her face.

Andy beams back. "It's pretty special, huh? I fell in love with it the second I saw it in the magazine."

Gail's mouth closes shut finally and when it does, Andy notices how she bites on her bottom lip. "Yeah…it's…you look smashin' McNally…and it doesn't look like it'll need to be altered at all?" Gail shakes her head marginally and then corrects herself: "Well. Unless he gets you up the duff between now and then." Peck flashes her teeth briefly at Andy before she continues on, back in her coolest and couldn't give a damn voice. "Still. If you don't break any more limbs, I think you'll scrub up okay."

Claire chokes on a cough as she looks at Gail, mortified. She turns her face again to Andy slowly and then trawls her eyes down. "But Andy…a part of your tattoo is visible."

Andy gazes at that part of her body over her shoulder. "Yeah, and? Sam loves my ink."

Once upon a time, Andy might've thought this look was a little…adventurous, but the gown is just so beautiful and she thinks her tattoo just adds to the effect. Besides, she's never been a girly girl – and this is about as good as it will get. Andy didn't want big frills or trains or anything too lacy because they just aren't her; she wanted this. It's simple and silky and elegant, and she knows it will be comfortable and…well, it will be her. (And for once in her life, she's not afraid that all eyes will be on her – especially Sam's).

Andy can literally hear Claire bite her tongue during a long silence that her mother eventually breaks. "Okay then…but are you at least getting a veil?"

"Nope," Andy replies immediately. "I want Sam to see exactly how big my smile is when dad walks me down the aisle toward him."

Claire blinks a couple of times, perhaps the realization that Tommy will play a big part in Andy's special day hitting her at last. She breathes out shakily. "Okay, well. It sounds like you're putting a deposit on this one then?"

Andy grins again and nods. "But first of all, my bridesmaids have some decisions to make!"

The four women fuss about in the boutique for another two hours before all manner of decisions are made; the bridesmaid dresses being the most important of these – of which it turns out everyone (especially Andy) is happy for her bridesmaids to wear mint green dresses…that are slightly different in style, but both short, simple, elegant one-shoulder numbers. The look will tie in well with what she has in mind for the summer occasion; fresh white flowers and the basic charcoals that she wants to accessorize the boys in.

Andy stops dead near the exit as she looks over some of the men's attire. It's only then that she begins to fathom exactly how handsome Sam might look.

She's yanked out of her daydream by Traci with a hand that hooks around her elbow tightly. "C'mon, McNally. Let's go look for our heels."


"Rub my feet?" Andy requests as she swings her legs up onto the couch and into Sam's lap.

"What did you lot do today? Run with the bulls?" Sam gives Andy a bemused grin as he massages into her arches anyway. He looks over at Claire who is snoozing in the rocker after having helped with dinner preparations again.

(Gail walked straight past Sam to head for a rest when they got through the door: "I can't imagine what it's like when she drags you to the mall.")

Andy twists her mouth in a pathetic attempt not to reveal too much, but really she just can't keep her damn mouth shut. "We may have ensured we all rocked up to the wedding fully dressed." Andy plucks at the seam of her jeans in an attempt to keep her eyes off his – just so she can contain her smile.

There's some silence. Which –

Was a trap.

Andy looks up to see what Sam's doing, his fingers have stilled on her instep and –

Well. His eyes have gone really dark it turns out.

Sam clears his throat and starts rubbing Andy's feet some more.

His voice is low and quiet – practically a whisper (possibly to ensure Claire doesn't hear). "Dress in this house?"

Andy rolls her eyes about and giggles. "No way. And don't even think about asking anything else." She wiggles her foot from his grasp to get him to work on the other one. "Besides. It's on lay-by. That way it's safe."

Sam runs his bottom lip through his teeth and keeps Andy appeased with his hands.

They hear the timer go off in the kitchen - the sound waking Claire. She looks over to them and smiles. "Sam…would you mind taking the meat out of the oven. I'll go and wake Gail."

When Claire's out of the room, Sam asks Andy cautiously: "You enjoy having her there?"

Andy smiles and nods at him. "Yep, we all had a nice day. Better still when I made her eyes pop."

She laughs loudly as Sam pouts and flips her legs so her feet hit the floor. "If you're gonna tease me about the damn dress, you can rub your own feet."


It's not until Claire's second last day with them that her mother and Sam have a run in. Apparently it starts just before Traci drops Andy home from her shift.

She walks into a standoff that has Sam on one side of the kitchen, Claire on the other, and Boo and Oliver somewhere in between.

"So, you're telling me how to do my job?" is the question that pops out of Sam's mouth as Andy rounds the corner.

She cops some wide eyes from Ollie and the dog.

"No, Sam. I was asking if you're sure that what you're going to do is wise?" Claire is fiddling with a pair of tongs and looking like she might be trying to gauge just how far she can push Sam.

"Am I sure…what the…?" Sam crosses his arms and legs and leans back on the bench that's behind him.

Oliver and Boo look like they're watching a tennis match and now Andy gets the distinct feeling that she does too –

"What…what's going on?" she asks them both nervously, her body frozen on the threshold just shy of the kitchen tiles.

Sam looks over at Andy and swallows, visibly trying to calm himself down. "Claire just walked into a conversation that Oliver and I were having about the Hastings case. I think she wants to give her expert opinion – keep us on the right track." His face is somewhat contorted as he informs her of the situation – to hazard a guess, Andy would say he is…torn.

(Andy knows the case he's referring to; she was doing some of the leg-work with Traci today; charges of pedophilia were laid against a clergy-man by a couple of teenagers that had attended the church's youth group a few years ago.)

Sam's explanation doesn't help to clarify Andy's confusion about what her mother has to do with all of this, so she figures she'll get the witness statement from the other party in the room –

"Mom. Do you know the case? Were you involved before you left - ?"

Claire visibly cringes. "No, Andy. I just heard Oliver and Sam talking about interviewing another potential victim…."

Andy stops her dead in her track, but her annoyance is also leveled at Sam and Oliver – they should know better…

"Probably they should not have been discussing the details of this within ear-shot of any civilian." Andy catches Sam's eye and she watches on as his mouth drops open to argue – and promptly closes again without saying a word. "But…I really don't think you have any right to give an opinion on the matter Claire…irrespective of your adolescent professional expertise." Andy tries very hard not to let her statement drip with sarcasm, but –

She doesn't completely succeed.

"I…" Claire stutters, evidently trying to find the right words.

Andy snaps curtly; "No." She glares at everyone in the kitchen individually – including Boo just because he was privy to all of this. "Just…No. I think we should drop it. If Sam and Oliver wish to spend their down-time discussing cases, they can take it somewhere private – where no one else can hear."

And…she knows this is a little unfair, she knows that it's carte blanche around here normally about what can and cannot be discussed – what with everyone that lives in the house, hearing the detail at work anyway. But, it's really not appropriate to disclose anything in front of anyone that shouldn't know.

Sam huffs and rolls his eyes at Andy, but his shoulders sag just the slightest…like other times he knows he's at least a fraction in the wrong.

Oliver coughs and splutters and clears his throat about a hundred times before he has anything to say. "Of course, McNally. Good point." He wipes a finger under his nose and peers from beneath high eyebrows – first toward Andy and then toward Sam. "We'll be more mindful with all this cop talk next time around."

Andy crosses her arms and waits for some acknowledgement from Sam. And, seriously –

Sometimes he can be such a jerk. He just stands there and scratches at his chest and stares at her…and finally tries a feeble excuse in his most irritated tone: "Well. We did think we were alone - "

Andy quirks an eyebrow and stares him down until he concedes the point.

"But, yeah, um. Right – sorry. Won't happen again."

Andy nods and swivels to face her mother, ensuring Claire knows it's her turn to step up to the plate.

Claire looks over at Sam and uses what Andy assumes is her clinical face. "I shouldn't have interfered with your conversation. I really didn't have any business expressing anything about your job."

Sam nods at her, accepting the apology like she was his rookie that just made a mistake.

With the room eventually in some sort of order, the group gets on with the business of dinner –

Conversation however, remains stilted – with chatting relegated to spits and spurts about the school excursions of the Shaw girls…and how inconvenient Andy's life will continue to be until her cast comes off.


"One more day, Swarek. One more day." Andy comes up to Sam from behind as he spits some toothpaste down the sink.

He pops the cap off some mouthwash and gives Andy a fake grin.

"C'mon, Sam. You know my sermon this afternoon was appropriate." She slides a hand around his stomach and feels a knot form in hers as his muscles twitch about.

He swills what seems to be a quarter of the bottle and gargles. When it's out, he wipes his mouth with his hand.

Sam turns to face her with that same deadpan stare he had earlier.

"Oh, I know, McNally. I know."

He takes her hand and plants two of his fingertips on her engagement ring, sliding it best as he can - this way and that. "But you do realize we weren't talking vital detail at the time, right?"

Andy rolls her eyes halfway and then looks up at Sam.

She mirrors his expression and then pulls her hand out of his and forms a loose fist. She edges the diamond somewhere just below his heart and then skims it…very lightly…all the way down. "I figured that, but you know what she's like." Andy smiles small as she watches the goosebumps spring up across his shoulders.

Sam chews at the inside of his cheek and tries very hard not to break into a grin. "She's got an opinion on every damn thing." He wedges one of his legs between both of Andy's and then wraps his hand around the one she's stroking with to tug her into his chest.

Andy bites her lip at the sudden rush to her head – a result of the heart to heart contact that Sam's just enforced. "One more day, Swarek…" Andy echoes. She pushes to her toes to get her lips onto his. "I've really appreciated your efforts so far…"

Sam bumps his forehead to hers. "I'll be good tomorrow," he murmurs to Andy between some brief kisses he places across her nose and her cheek. "But if she was stayin' any longer, I'm pretty sure my patience'd run out."

Andy smiles into Sam's chin as she bites there. "Speaking of patience…" she breathes with a giggle. "I like – really, really, really want you to take me to bed. Now. Please?"

Her giggles turn into a shriek as Sam hoists her up over his shoulder and then pinches at a cheek of her butt.


A/N: Next up in da house: In sickness and health. A little drama for the McNally-Swarek's as one family member faces a scare.