Hey guys!

Thanks to all your great reviews and follows!

To those who thought I was demeaning Sam by "putting" him in this situation, well… I hope you'll have your answers by next chapter, which will be the last one for this fic.

Disclaimer: I do not own RB or many other things, except for those I paid for.

"A... a... I… lo…ve… you"

The words still echoed in the silent room.

Andy was sitting on the bed on her knees, holding Sam's hand, and looking at him gob smacked.

"S…s...say that again" she stuttered, a smile creeping on her face. She was pretty sure Sam cannot hear her, but he did.

"A... a..." this time he could not phrase the words with his lips. He invested all his power in the hand squeeze and those three little words, there was nothing left for a recap.

Instead, he looked at her with his dimpled look, and she yelped, pulling her free hand to her face.

Why is she yelping? She should know talking is hard work. Oh, It's McNally. Talking is easy for HER. Well, I am not her, and she should know that after four years.

"C…c…can you hear me?!"

Blink blink sure I can, I just answered your question. It's not LIKE you McNally, to be this slow. He teased her in his mind, though he knew it was much to take in. So he gave her his dimpled look again.

"Sam, your dimples! I can see them!" her hand left her mouth, and what was only a hint of a smile, turned into a huge smile spread all over her face and glinting from her eyes.

She saw he doesn't believe her, and lowered her head slowly, looking for signs of disapproval from Sam who didn't move.

When she reached his face, she turned her head to one side

"Here is one dimple"

She kissed that dimple, her kiss light as a feather, yet burning a hole in Sam's face. A good hole. A hole he was dreaming about for so many nights.

Andy moved her head to the other cheek, her mouth so close to his that he could feel her breathe.

If I could only raise my head just the slightest, then I'll kiss her. But his muscles were not in his command, and his face stayed still.

"And here's the second one" the warm air from her mouth sent shivers up and down his spine, aching for her touch.

Her lips reached his second dimple, and another itching burn was placed on his cheek.

Having finished what she did not know if she's allowed to do or not, Andy quickly lifted her head and went back to the sitting position she was holding only seconds ago, and locked her eyes on Sam's, still holding his hand.

It is so good to feel her like that. God, I missed it! So good to look at her beauty first thing in the morning. She is stunning, now more than ever, and this morning in particular has something else on her face - bliss. I have to tell her that.

"A...a..."

Her index finger rose to meet his lips, shushing him.

And the bliss was gone.

"Don't, Sam. Today I want to do the talking. Okay?"

Blink blink. What does she want to talk about?

"Remember the day you got shot?"

Blink blink, how can I forget?

"You were leaving the barn because you said you wanted me to be happy. I chased you outside to tell you something, and then we found Oliver's squad and everything happened so fast there was no time. Somehow time is never on our side, and I know now is also not the right time, but I have to say it. I promised I'll tell you first thing if you could ever hear me again."

Sam looked at her intently, waiting for the declaration that will surely follow, she had that tone in her voice, the serious announcements one.

"What I wanted to tell you that night is that there is only one thing that makes me happy. Only one person that make me FEEL- Happy, angry, sad, blessed, loved, safe, and so many other things."

Sam looked at her, hoping she was going where he thought she was. He raised his brows so his eyes were wide open in an invitation for her to continue.

Andy swallowed to dry her mouth, and continued.

"You are the one to make me feel, Sam. It's you, and it's always been you. As I told you on the ambulance – you're my story." She let it all out in one breath of air, as if she was afraid he'll run mid sentence.

Blink blink, you're my story too. How can I say this to you now? How can I answer you?

"The night they turned the machines off, I was sure I'm going to lose you"

Not gonna happen that easy, McNally.

"And I couldn't figure it out. How could it be that you were always there for me when it mattered, and I was not there for you? I should have forced you to get the vest first thing, and not go hide Celery. I should have given you my gun. I should have done so many things, Sam. But I didn't. And now you're stuck like this, and it sucks, as it is my fault"

Hey, hey, you got to stop blaming yourself, Andy. It's NOT your fault.

His heavy sigh was the only way Andy could tell he was frustrated, too.

"And then you were alive, but you were hiding in your head. You know what Oliver was saying that night? He said you were undercover. And it makes so much sense, Sam. It does. You went undercover when I turned you down after that car accident, and now – now you're doing it again. You're running away because of me. Because I turned you down. And I can't handle it. I can't handle not being there for you when it matters. Because YOU matter."

Tears were flowing down her face, making the tiniest puddles on the bed cover.

But you're here, Andy. And there is no other place you need to be, nowhere else you belong but here, with me.

A knock on the door made them both jump their eyes, and lose eye contact.

The moment was lost.

"Morning, sleeping beauties, need any help?" Oliver's voice came from the other side.

"No, thanks, it's fine" Andy managed to hide the sigh she desperately felt like letting out and wiped the tears away.

"We'll be right out"

With that she jumped off the bed, and the day began.

Some hours later, they were lazily sitting outside on the porch. Andy set on one end of a bench, and Sam was closely by her. This was as close as they could get with him in the chair. A thick blanket was on their laps, covering them both.

Oliver brought out one of the armchairs from inside and was sitting facing them, next to the wooden railing.

Andy took Sam's hand in hers, and held it on her thigh, under the cover. The way Sam's expression changed made her chuckle, and she helped him to slowly slide his hand from hers to her thigh.

She glanced at Oliver who pretended he didn't see it happening, appreciating his gentle way of letting them find each other again.

"So... what should I do? I need to decide what to do with Celery." Oliver sighed. Andy was already briefed about the story on their way down here.

"Do you love her?"

"Yeah, but how can I tell if it's because I was poisoned or because it is real?"

"She still gives you that potion?"

"She said she stopped when she moved to my house, and I believe her."

"And you say you love her - present tense not past tense."

It was more of an observation than a question, and Oliver nodded in reply.

Sam loved the way she mumbled her thoughts into logic.

"So you basically say you still loved her after the potion. So does it really matter if you started to love her with it?"

I can't believe she just said that. Obviously it matters if you love someone whole heartedly or if it's fake. You must put yourself completely in a relationship, no holding back. Look at us, for crying out loud. He tried making Andy look at him so she'll see his eyes. He wanted her to know what he was thinking.

Andy cleared the bangs from her eyes and looked at Sam while talking to Oliver, ignoring the look in his eyes, her fingers were nervously playing with her sweater's sleeve's hem.

"I know it sounds weird, but she's making you feel good about yourself, making you try new things. She's good to you and the girls. You love having her in your life, and you love her. Does it really matter how you got there? You should embrace the opportunities given to you, not be alone and feel sorry for losing them."

Oliver knew she was talking not only to him. So did Sam, who closed his eyes at this reproof.

Oliver nodded in reply, and said nothing. Maybe there was something in her wise words of experience.

Sam kept his eyes closed, processing everything Andy told him since he woke up. He told her he loves her, and she didn't answer. She said many other things – important things – but none of them was the admission that she loves him. So maybe Oliver was wrong, and there is something between her and Collins.

This thought stuck to his head, and he didn't want to open his eyes to face the reality.

"So… " Oliver started his friendly questioning, mistaking Sam's closed eyes for sleep "How was your night?" he asked with a smirk.

"Fine. Sam told me he loves me and held my hand"

"No way! you must have dreamt it. Look at him - he doesn't talk, he doesn't move"

"And you're going to tell me he doesn't hear, too?"

Oliver was caught with his mouth opened, and Andy laughed.

"When did he start hearing? Why didn't you say anything?" she started bombarding him with questions, and Sam decided to keep his eyes closed, maybe by eavesdropping he'll hear what he needs to hear her say.

"A couple of days ago. And before you say anything, I didn't tell you because he asked me not to tell"

"Why?"

"Andy, you two need to start communicating. You need to learn how to talk to each other, talk AND listen. And maybe even look at one another to get the idea of what's going on"

"eeehhh?"

"Sam thinks you're with Collins. You think he's with Marlo. You're both wrong and you're both miserable."

Oliver looked at Sam who he thought was fast asleep

"I've seen him with you, Andy, I've seen him without you, and then with Marlo. There is no question here – he needs to be with you. And he knows that, the question is do YOU know that?"

Andy looked doubtful at Oliver.

"See, Andy, this is why talking and communicating is so helpful in building relationships. Sammy here told me about his dreams only a couple of months ago, in this cabin, sitting on the chair I'm sitting on now." Oliver's hands pounded on the hand rests of his seat.

Andy's eyes fell to the floor - a couple of months ago he was with Marlo.

"No no no no no, Andy. Not what you think." Oliver moved his index finger in front of her face, in a negative gesture "He described his dreams about YOU, not anyone else."

"REALLY?" Her shock was obvious, quickly raising her eyes from the floor to Sam's, and back to Oliver.

Sam opened his eyes, taking a mental note to thank Oliver one day for once again putting words to the thoughts in his head.

Sam looked at Andy and said softly

"I... LOVE...YOU"

Andy raised her eyes to him, a smile all over her face and love oozing from her eyes.

Sure, it was the same line he used earlier that day, but he had a feeling she will never get tired of hearing it, as much as he will never get tired of saying it, now that he started.

The weather got cold fast, and it started to snow. Andy and Oliver decided to cut their weekend short fearing they might get snowed-in in the cabin.

On their way back, Oliver played a John Denver CD that Celery gave him for the ride, and a song came out the speakers. A song they all knew by heart, and somehow now got new meanings.

"It's by far the hardest thing I've ever done
To be so in love with you and so alone

Follow me where I go what I do and who I know
Make it part of you to be a part of me
Follow me up and down all the way and all around
Take my hand and say you'll follow me'

Oliver thought of the woman who gave him the CD, the woman who tricked him to love her, and yet he was willing to let it go, knowing it's by far the one of the hardest thing he's ever done, because without her he feels so in love and yet so alone.

Sam thought how much he really wanted that Andy and him will always be a part of one another – 'make it part of you to be a part of me' style.

Andy, next to Sam, was thinking of another line from the song – 'take my hand and say you'll follow me'. How much she wanted him out of this wheel chair and back to his old self, taking her hand and following her wherever she go, knowing she will follow him even if he stays in this chair.

By the time they got back to Toronto, it was getting dark and Sam fell asleep on Andy's shoulders.

Reaching city limits, Andy asked Oliver to take her to her place before taking Sam back home. Oliver raised an eyebrow in question, but did as he was told.

Sam woke up when the truck stopped and Andy was about to leave the car. A quick look outside told him where they were, and panic crept to his heart. Before he knew what he was doing, his fingers were wrapped on her forearm, and one word left his mouth.

The same word that got them together.

The same word that got them apart.

"S...tay" he said, and she looked and him and smiled

"Wouldn't have it any other way, until you tell me to go away"

"Ne...ver" he managed a small smile, his muscles slowly regaining confidence and strength.

He was happy to see the fruits of his labor reflect in Andy's happy face.

Andy went inside for some time, and Sam watched the lights in her apartment from the backseat of his truck.

She came back not to long after holding a bag, and threw it to the back of the truck, next to Sam's chair.

When they got to Sam's house, the house was dark and cold. Andy walked in first, to turn on the lights and the heating, and found a note from Becky saying she's taking Abe back home before the snow gets too heavy, because being locked in a foreign house will not do him any good.

Andy saw the questioning look in Sam's eyes when she came back to the truck and reassured him of his parents' well being.

Oliver and Andy brought Sam in, and placed him on the sofa. Andy quickly went to change the bed sheets in the guest room, as it will now be Sam's room. There was no point in taking him up and down the stairs all the time.

Oliver, hungry as always, found Becky left them soup, and they all ate in front of the TV.

Oliver called Celery to let her know he's coming back early, and went home to make amends with the woman he loved.

This left Sam in his bed, and Andy beside him, knowing where she wants to sleep, not knowing where Sam wants her to sleep.

"I'll be upstairs, alright?"

"Nope" Not alright, McNally, and you know it. I can see it in your eyes.

"You want me to sleep here?" she pointed to the bed, next to him.

"Yeah"

She smiled faintly, and climbed up the bed.

Monday came fast with new daily therapies.

There were speech therapy and physiotherapy, there were meetings with the psychiatrist once Sam could talk, and there were doctor's appointments which were luckily held at home.

All in all, Sam's progress was fast.

As Nick predicted without knowing – Sam was coming back because he wanted to come back, and because Andy was there beside him.

His speech therapist left after he yelled at her for correcting his accent. Andy laughed when he told her the story that night, knowing it means he'll be fine soon.

The doctor was pleased, and the physiotherapist worked hard with Sam on his arms' muscles, to help him regain his independency – with his arms he could eat, move around his house in a wheel chair, and most importantly – be alone in the toilets, which was a crucial thing in Sam's motivation to success.

The nurse was then cut to five hours a day, more a babysitter than anything else.

Sam and Andy had long conversations about the past, the present and hopefully – the future.

It didn't take Andy long to answer Sam's words with her own.

And when she did, he surprised her and gave her the kiss they were both longing for.

THE kiss.

The best kiss they ever had.