Chapter 7

Noelle and Alex had decided to walk the few blocks to the bar. Alex needed the time to clear her head. She was excited to hang out with everyone again but at the same time, close to petrified at spending any quality time with Sam. The Penny was busy for a Tuesday, mostly cops but a few civilians. Just as they were about to go in, Alex's phone started to ring. "Go ahead, Noelle, I will meet you inside, it's my brother."

"Hurry, miss, remember you have the first round."

"Hey Nate, how are you?"

"Good, Alex, did you pick up my cah?"

"Really Nate? Just because you're in New England doesn't mean that you have to adopt the accent." they both laughed. "Yes, I picked up your "baby", she's fine. How is your trip going?"

"It's good, I am more worried about you though. How was your first day back at work?"

"Interesting, and about to get more so." she said as she noticed Sam's truck pull into the lot.

"Oooh, tell me."

"Sorry brother but I am meeting everyone at the Penny, I will try to call you when I get home with the details."

"Have fun, talk to you later."

Alex hung up her phone, took a deep breath and walked inside. She had dressed comfortably in jeans, a sweater and boots. She looked really good, if she might say so herself. "Here goes nothing."

She found her friends in a small alcove near the bar. Everyone was there, even the rookies. Jerry was all over Traci Nash, Diaz and Peck looked pretty cozy, McNally was sitting in Luke Callaghan's lap, interesting, someone better get her caught up on the gossip.

She took a seat next to Frank which left an empty chair between her and Shaw. How convenient. With that Sam, strolled in. OOOh, what that man could do to a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. "Okay girl, its early, pace yourself."

"Officer Swarek, how nice of you to join us!" said Oliver

Sam rolled his eyes at him and sat down next to Alex. "Hey, how's it going? Are they torturing you yet?" he flashed his dimples.

"Not yet, but I'm ready for it."

"Can I get you a drink?"

"No, that's ok, I promised to get the first round." She took everyone's order and walked toward the bar.

"What can I get you miss, ...Alex?... holy cow, when did you get back sweetheart?"

Keith had been the bartender at the Penny as long as she could remember. He was retired from the 17th, and a constant flirt.

"I'm only back a week, actually today was my first shift. I'm gonna need 4 beers, a scotch and a rum and coke. How have you been?"

"Good. ...Did you finally realize that you love me and can't live without me?" As if on cue, Sam approached her to help her with the drinks. She spoke to Keith but looked at Sam and said "Yeah, something like that."

They walked back to the table where Jerry was regaling the rookies with stories from their academy days. They all fell into easy conversation. It started to seem just like old times. Every once in a while Alex would catch herself touching Sam's arm while she was recalling some funny memory. It was not lost on him. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her. "Is it possible that she was even more beautiful than he remembered?"

"So, Alex, watcha been up to since you abandoned us?" Alex felt Sam tense up as soon as Oliver said the words.

"Well, after my hospital stay last year, I decided that I needed to get away for a little bit. I needed physical therapy, I needed to recuperate, and I just needed to clear my head. I went to visit my cousin Annmarie. She lives in Virginia, not far from DC. I was only going to stay a week, but that became two and then a month. I was going to PT there, started running again, hiking a little. I felt so much better but I was starting to go stir crazy not working. My cousin and her fiancee, John, both work in the FBI building. John had a friend who was looking for an investigator for his security firm so I went to see him. I really wasn't planning on taking the job but he asked me to try it for six months, so I took it. Apparently, he had spoken to Boyko, who knew that I was extending my leave. He raved about me and I was hired on the spot. It was interesting work but difficult for me to spend a lot of time behind a desk. About a month ago, Annmarie and John got married. They had gotten engaged shortly after I arrived. My parents, my sister, my brothers, their families all came down. We spent the whole weekend together. We had a blast, I got to hang out with my nieces and nephews and that was it. I knew I it was time to come home. I was so depressed when they left, I called the movers the next day."

"So, you came back just for them, not for us, you didn't miss us?" Noelle this time, Alex knew she was baiting her.

Alex gave a glance to Sam, and then said "Of course I missed you guys, I couldn't live without you any longer." she smiled at the group.

"So, anyway, my cousin gets married and goes on her honeymoon. I spend the week finishing up my cases during the day and packing every night. I had already told my boss that I was leaving and had spoken to Frank about my reinstatement". The glare from Sam to Frank did not go unnoticed by many. "About a week ago, the movers came, loaded my stuff and I took a cab to the airport. I only got back December 3rd. I am living with my brother Nate, driving his car and hopefully going to find my own place this weekend and get my life back. By the way Oliver, Zoe is all mine this weekend." she took a deep breath.

"I know, she told me, Zoe called before, she is picking me up. She already got out the pretty princess game and the tea set. You are going to owe me big time Healy." everyone laughed.

Sam leaned over and whispered "I just don't understand why you had to move away?"

"Sam, please let's not do this here,... now..."

"Want to get some air? his eyes pleading.

"Sure."Alex grabbed her jacket and Sam followed her out the door. They walked toward Sam's truck but before they could get there Sam grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him. Before she could protest, his lips were on hers. Slow at first, then almost desperate. It took maybe a second for Alex to respond as her hands found themselves at the back of his head pulling him toward her to deepen the kiss. They, finally broke apart merely to catch their breath. "What the hell was that?" she smirked

"I needed to see for myself if this goes more than one way."

"Are you kidding me Sam? Of course it does, I love you, I missed you, so much,... these past 10 months, I felt like half of me was missing."

"Then how could you move away?" he seemed upset now.

In almost a whisper she said, "I was heartbroken. Push came to shove and you weren't around. I figured that you realized that this wasn't what you wanted anymore."

"Allie, how could you think...?"

"Please Sam, let me finish...I knew you were there, in the hospital, in the room, in the bed, before I even opened my eyes, I knew you were there. When the doc came in and gave us that good news that I would recover completely, that everything was going to be alright, it was the best day ever. I was going to be fine, you were fine, we were together...then you left and didn't come back. No phone call, nothing. Everytime my room door opened I would pray it was you but it never was. The day I was being discharged, I certainly couldn't go back to your house, so I went and stayed with my parents. After a couple of days, I planned my trip to my cousins. After a couple of weeks, I told my brother to call the movers. They packed my stuff and got outo of there before you got home. We weren't trying to be sneaky, Mark really didn't want to have any words with you."

Alex was starting to shiver, Sam unlocked the truck for them to sit inside. "Allie, I am so sorry for putting you through that. I was so afraid. You got shot, I thought I was going to lose you. When the doctor said you would be okay, I was so relieved but at the same time I was so mad at you. How could you put yourself in that situation? You could have been killed."

"It could have been you too Sam! I did my job, I would do it again in a second. We are both trained police officers. This wasn't me protecting my boyfriend. My partner was down and in no position to help himself so I backed him up! You stubborn ass, this is not a man should protect his woman scenario. This is partners having each others back, always. If the roles were reversed, you would have done the same thing for me. In any event, if you were upset you should have talked to me, instead of avoiding me. That is what normal couples would do! Before that, you and I were talking about marriage and kids and then you abandon me when times are tough. What was I supposed to think except he doesn't love me? I had no other input from you, so I left. Maybe it was extreme for me to move out of the country, but honestly, if I couldn't be with you, then I couldn't be here. I had to do what was best for me. I was reading the signs. Aren't you the one always preaching that, reading the signs?"

Sam was at a loss, when she put it like that, he realized that he was the cause of his own misery. He had pushed her away, no wonder she left.

"So, I left. I did try to call you a few times, you never called me back. I figured it was time to move on."

"So did you, ...move on? he couldn't even bear to look into her eyes, he knew that they would tell him what he didn't really want to hear.

"I tried to Sam, I really did. I got caught up in my new job, met a lot of nice people. Dated a little. " Sam felt himself physically sick.

"And?"

"No one was you, Sam. No one will ever be you, you are it for me. My sister always talks about meeting her soul mate. I used to think it was a bunch of crap, till I met you. You know those romantic chick movies that you hate?" he nodded and gave a little roll of his eyes.

"At the end of the movie, the guy gets the girl, the music, the butterflies, the kiss? I don't want to seem corny, but I felt like everyday was that way for us."

"Allie, I don't really know what to say except I screwed up,... but I love you and I feel like this a second chance for us and promise, I won't mess that up. You are it for me too! Please just think about it."

"I think maybe we both handled things poorly. I will think about it, I promise...We better get back inside, everyone's going to think we left them."

He grabbed her hand and they walked like that back toward the bar. Just then they saw Luke and Andy approaching. "Hey guys, sorry we didnt get to talk too much, but we are gonna go. Luke has court tomorrow. Looking forward to working with you Alex."

"Yeah, Alex welcome back, night Swarek." They walked away but not before Andy looked back and winked at them.

"I like her, Sam, I like her a lot."

"Yeah, me too, she's a good cop, one day she will be great. Turns out, she's not such a bad friend either." he smiled

They rejoined their friends, who had apparently not stopped drinking in their absence. Zoe was there to pick up Oliver and promised Alex she would see her Saturday morning. Everyone started to wind down and Alex realized that it was getting late. She still wanted to talk to Nate and it had been quite a roller coaster of a day. She said goodnight and and hugged everyone good bye. Sam also said good night and followed her out for the second time that night. "Can I drive you home?" he asked

"Thanks, but I have Nate's car at the station. Would you mind dropping me off there?"

"Jump in." as they got to his truck

They rode in silence the short ride and Sam pulled his truck next to Nate's car. She thanked him for the ride, got out and walked around to the driver's side. She couldn't take her eyes off his. "Allie, please think about what I said. We could even have dinner tomorrow, my place, I'll cook."

"I'll think about it." she'd like to have him for dinner, she thought to herself.

"What's the rush Swarek, I'm not going anywhere." she smiled and got in the car.