CHAPTER 7 - The Truth Will Out

"C'mon, brother!" Oliver clapped him hard on the shoulder and pushed him forward. "I think we both need a drink."

On any other night, Sam would have agreed wholeheartedly and followed. Tonight, however, the only place he wanted to be was at home, nursing a scotch in private. The day had been shit from the moment he left on patrol.

The first call of the day had been a domestic disturbance. The violence had escalated swiftly. He could still hear the pop from his gun and the fucker's slow motion collapse to the floor. The bile has risen to his throat instantly when he saw he had been too slow. The wife was facedown on the floor next to him with blood seeping out from the wound in her head. The metallic tang of blood had filled his senses and it was a miracle he had made it to the kitchen sink before puking.

And in the end, husband and wife were dead and two little girls were traumatized, having seen the entire crime.

"I don't think so," Sam replied, sidestepping to get Oliver's hand off his shoulder.

"Yes, you are. I don't care if you mope at the bar and nurse a drink the entire night. You need to be surrounded by people, not suffering in private."

Oliver stopped and stared at his best friend. They had gone to the academy together, but started their careers at difference divisions. In the years since they both worked at 15, they were partnered whenever Sam wasn't undercover. He knew exactly what Sam would do if left to his own devices. And Oliver knew he needed a warm body to help him get through the night. Badge bunny or not. He didn't care. He refused to see his best friend slip down the rabbit hole of regret and what-ifs.

"Ollie." Sam sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "Fine. Let's go."

They drove separately and met in the parking lot a few minutes later. The lot was full, music blasted out of the open doors, the early summer warmth giving a nice breeze; several badge bunnies loitered out the door, scouting for new arrivals.

Sam gave them a once over as he and Oliver made their way inside. The leggy blonde smiled back, her breasts barely contained in a skin-tight tank; short shorts hugged the tops of her thighs and sky-high heels in siren red. Sam nodded at her and winked before disappearing through the door.

"Grab us a table, I'll get the first round," Ollie yelled over the music and conversation flowing in the overcrowded space.

Sam gave a cursory glance and found Frank and Jerry in the corner with their wives. He made his way over. He wasn't a huge fan of Jerry's wife, Angela, but Frank's was a sweet girl who always blushed at his teasing.

"Sam! Grab a chair, c'mere sweetie," Jerry yelled at him while pulling Angela out of her chair and into his lap. She rolled her eyes at him and smirked at Sam.

"Today was a bitch day. How are you holding up?" Frank asked. He took a long pull on his lager.

"I'm great. A couple days off and a shrink visit. I'll be back before you can miss me."

Ollie set a tumbler of scotch in front of Sam before sitting down with a pitcher of beer and two glasses. He gestured for the rest of the table to help them selves.

While the rest caught up, teased and laughed at each other, Sam took a moment to sip at his drink. At the first lick of heat in his throat he began to relax. He knew there had been nothing he could do to diffuse the situation and that pulling the trigger was the only option when a violent guy aimed a gun at his head, but it didn't make it any easier to squeeze that trigger.

Two sips more later Sam began to assess the badge bunnies in the bar. Most nights he could pick up one or two for a game of pool, some flirting, maybe some groping and kissing in the back hallway before heading back to their place. He wasn't interested tonight, even though the blonde from outside had made her way in and was giving him some serious bedroom eyes.

He had just turned back to answer Jerry's question about some asinine protocol procedure, when he heard an honest to God belly laugh from the back of the bar, near the dart boards.

Sam saw her immediately. She had long bronzed legs, wore a short white skirt, blouse, and her dark brown hair was in a sleek ponytail. She had thrown her head back and laughed, her hand holding on to a tall college guy's shoulder. He was grinning at her and the group surrounding them burst into giggles as Sam watched. She exchanged high fives with the tall guy. They all looked to be college aged, definitely not the usual bunnies, probably on holiday for the summer. The Penny would be an odd choice of destinations for most college kids. They tended to head towards the clubs downtown that offered dancing and headache-inducing bass beats.

"Hey, your turn for drinks," Ollie shouted into his ear nearly forty minutes later. "Stop staring and get us more beer!"

Sam grinned and took off for the bar. The new bartender, Liam, barely out of school and tatted up on his arms was at the end of the bar chatting with one of the regular bunnies, Margery. He looked over right as Sam held up his hand.

"Another round, Sam?" He asked even as he started filling another pitcher of their preferred beer.

"Thanks."

He tapped his fingers on the wood top to the beat of the music. For once the music was more to his style, The Who blared through the speakers. For a young guy, Liam had an eclectic taste in music; Sam preferred the nights Liam decided what music played.

"Sam?"

The voice was incredulous, feminine and near his right elbow. Sam glanced behind him, his jaw dropping open.

"Andy?"

"Oh my God, it is you!"

She launched herself at him, her arms wrapping around his neck tightly. Sam caught her instinctively, marveling at seeing her again. It had been three fucking years.

When she stepped back, blushing sheepishly, it occurred to Sam that she had been the one laughing in the corner. The mini skirt hugged her hips, flaring around the top of her thighs. Her blouse gave a tantalizing glimpse of cleavage and showcased her toned shoulders and arms.

"What are you doing here?"

Andy waved spastically towards her group of friends as if that explained it all. "Home for holiday. A bunch of us from high school got together to catch up."

"Ah."

"How are you doing? Still at 15 with my dad?"

"Yeah, yeah."

They fell silent, each taking in the differences three years had made in the other. Andy had grown even more beautiful than he remembered. Her face had lost some of the baby fat of her teen years. Her hair was shorter. She wore darker make up, her eyes enhanced dramatically. Sam forced himself to keep his eyes on hers and off her cleavage, her legs. It was the first time in years he felt exactly how old he was. The downside to waiting for someone to grow up is the person waiting had to age too.

Not one to let an opportunity pass, Andy started chatting about school, her classes, professors, track practice, dabbling in Krav Magra, her roommates. Anything and everything fell from her.

Without thinking, they sat down at the bar, sharing the pitcher of beer meant for his friends. He told her about work, buying his first house, her dad. The blonde badge bunny attempted to interrupt, Andy amusing Sam with her scowl to send her on her way.

Oliver had said a quiet good-bye on his way out. Andy had waved off her friends with a quick eyebrow conversation with one of the girls.

Sam barely noticed the bar slowly emptying, music turned down low, Liam wiping down the bar top. He only concentrated on Andy. She was so animated while talking, her zest for life erupting in her every gesture.

"You wanna get out of here?" He finally asked her quietly.

"Definitely."

Sam quickly closed out their tab with Liam. When Andy walked a head of him, his hand touched the small of her back lightly to guide her; she gave him a look over her shoulder that sent his heart racing. His fingers pressed in harder right above the swell of her bottom.

The drive from the Penny to his place was a quick one. He had bought the town house for its proximity to 15. It was small, but it was his. Andy followed him up the stairs silently, watching with wide eyes as he slipped the key in. He stepped inside first, holding the door for her.

He didn't know if he reached for her or she grabbed him, he only knew that his lips were on hers, plundering, licking her bottom lip, tugging gently with his teeth before sinking into her mouth, stroking her tongue with his. He walked her backwards, kicking the door shut behind him, until her back met the wall.

He tore his lips from hers at the thump of her back hitting the wall. She stared back at him with wide eyes, her lips swollen and chest heaving with shallow breaths.

"Andy . . ." He warned, nearly begging her with his eyes.

She nodded slowly, her hands sifting through the hair on the nape of his neck, fingernails lightly scratching his neck. She pulled him back in.

He gave up the fight he had been having for the last five years where Andy McNally was concerned.

(…)

"Figured I'd find you here."

Sam jerked out of his reverie and found the object of his anger standing much like she did that night so long ago. He grimaced and took a healthy gulp of his scotch and winced at the burn in his throat. He refused to cough.

She only watched with arms folded across her chest, her eyebrow arched as though she knew exactly what he was hiding from her.

"It's a little early for scotch, don'tcha think?"

"What do you care?" He forced out.

She sighed and hopped up onto the bar stool next to him. Liam was at the other end of the bar giving them a modicum of privacy. The bar was relatively empty with just a couple of cops in the back booth enjoying a cup of coffee.

Sam kept ignoring her, hoping she'd take the hint and leave him alone. He could still she her smile at her husband in the driveway and how beautiful her daughter looked in her arms. He mentally kicked down the image of the family they should have had. He had always held out hope she'd come back to Toronto, that they'd work through whatever it was that caused her leave in the first place and maybe, possibly become a family together. She was the only one he had ever wanted. All other women had paled in comparison. None had given him a glimpse of the future as Andy had.

"I know what you thought and you're wrong," Andy finally says, quietly, her fingers twisting together on top of the bar.

Sam glances at her out of the corner of his eye. He doesn't turn his head, doesn't want to encourage her, but curious about what she thinks he thought.

"I thought I'd come to 15 and keep my private life private, you know? I didn't want any drama. I just wanted to work my shifts, learn to be a detective, go home at night. I didn't want to cause any rumors."

She's quiet when she starts talking. Sam stops himself from nodding in encouragement. He doesn't care.

"I forgot how high school the divisions are, the constant rumor mill, and the switching of partners, infidelity and just all of it. It had been a while since I dealt with that. SRU is a different type of family. There are no secrets between team members and interoffice relationships are not allowed."

She pauses, leans over the bar and grabs a water bottle next to the register; she holds it up to Liam before sitting back down. Andy twists the cap and takes a drink.

When she continues it's with a deep breath as though to steady her self.

"I wasn't expecting you to still be at 15. You surprised the hell out of me at the Anton Hill bust. I knew there was an undercover cop, but I had no idea. On my first day, I just had no idea how to talk to you, Sam. You were always there for me growing up. And I allowed one night seven years to put this distance between us."

"Why, Andy?" Sam choked out. He turned to face her fully, grabbed her hands needing the contact. "Why did you leave?"

Andy stared at their hands; their fingers entwined and swallowed a sob. It had been so long since a man had held her hand, so long since Sam had touched her in any type of intimacy.

"You scared me. My feelings scared me," she said in a whisper. She looked up into his eyes. "You're all I had ever wanted. I had come to the Penny that night hoping you'd be there. And when I saw you, I got so nervous I just start spouting whatever came to my mind. Then you asked if I wanted to get out of there. The look in your eyes, it was everything I had ever wanted. Ever since I was sixteen, I had wanted you to look at me like that."

"Me too." He admitted, squeezing her hand. His thumb brushed over her knuckles. His gaze homed in on her ring finger. She wasn't wearing her wedding ring. A white band of pale skin showed where it normally rested. He rubbed his thumb against the smooth skin, his eyes glued to that little slice of white.

"I figured you would regret it, since the last time we had seen each other you made it perfectly clear how young I was," Andy continued, her heart racing over his admittance of "me too."

"And then?" He prompted as the silence stretched.

"I went back to Vancouver, finished college. I was accepted to the police academy right away. Then assigned to the 45 Division out there. Before I knew it, three years had passed."

"You never came home. You never called me. It was like you disappeared off the face of the planet, Andy. Your dad wouldn't even give me updates on you," Sam said anger evident in his voice.

"I asked him not to. I think he knew something had happened between us. He wasn't happy about it, so he agreed to not say anything. By that time, his drinking was affecting his work. I knew it was a matter of time before he was asked to retire."

"I wanted to hate you," Sam confessed, his hand tightening against hers when he felt her pull away. "But I couldn't. I could only think about how beautiful you were that night. That night surpassed every fantasy I had ever had about you," he said with a grin.

Andy blushed. She glanced back to see Liam was ignoring them in a way to suggest he was actually paying very close attention to them.

"So, are you going to tell me the whole truth?" Sam raised her left hand to show her he had seen her lack of ornamentation.

"I married Derek two years ago in Vancouver. He was a bomb tech for ETF. He had been a soldier and was injured overseas, but missed working with explosives, so he joined ETF. We moved back to Toronto about a year ago."

Sam waited holding his breath. Now was when she'd tell him that she had a daughter.

"Derek was killed in an accident seven months ago. It was a homemade bomb at a meth lab."

"What?"

Sam wracked his brain trying to remember if there had been news reported about an officer killed in the line of duty. Then he realized he had been in deep cover with Anton Hill and wouldn't have had access to the news beyond what was going on in their backyard.

"I'm not married, Sam. I've been a widow for seven months. It's been difficult to take the rings off. Some days it's easier than others. Traci has actually been a big help with moving on."

"But, the guy and baby this morning?"

"Sam Braddock from SRU and his daughter. He and his wife, Jules, came over to visit with me. I had a few things of Derek's I wanted them to have. I haven't seen my goddaughter since her baptism," Andy explained with a small smile.

Sam just stared at her, allowing all the worry and frustration drain away.

"I should have told you when I first realized the rumors going around the division. I just didn't know how to start that conversation. I thought I could just ignore it and maybe another source of gossip would begin, but apparently nothing ever happens at 15."

"Andy, I'm so sorry about your husband," Sam started, finally getting his brain back online. In his relief to hear there was no husband standing in his way, he forgot that she had buried one and was still grieving.

"Thank you."

They sat in silence, their hands clasped still. Andy felt lighter for telling him the truth after keeping it from him so long. Sam warred with himself, being delighted he had a chance with her again, but knowing Derek was still very much a presence in her life.

"I really surpassed your every fantasy?" Andy finally asked with a sly grin, her eyes twinkling at him.

Sam chuckled and tipped his head back to look at the ceiling. He could feel a blush start and to stop a dimple from popping, he stuck his tongue in his cheek before glancing over at her.

"And then some," he finally responded, grinning widely at her shocked gasp.

She giggled and bumped her shoulder against his. "Shut up."

Sam laughed out loud, dropped her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her body into his. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and then tucked her head under his chin. She leaned against his chest and for the first time in a long time breathed a sigh of contentment.

"You wanna get out of here?" He asked softly, his tone reminiscent of a time seven years ago.

Andy peered up at him.

She lifted up and kissed him softly on the lips, her hand braced on his thigh to keep her steady. Sam shifted his arm around her shoulder to allow his hand to cup the back of her head. He deepened the kiss, tilting his head to slant his lips across hers, his tongue stroking her bottom lip.

"Definitely," she replied when they parted.

A.N. I apologize for the long delay in getting this out. I hope this was worth the wait. I might add the M rated version of the flashback as a one-shot, but I'm not sure if I want to go there. I think it's obvious what happened between them and I wanted to keep it relatively clean for this version, especially considering Andy was 21 and Sam was 33 (I figure he's 12 years older than Andy – at least in this AU version)

A.N.2. Reviews are most welcome. Criticism is encouraged. Bashing is not acceptable.

Thanks for reading!