Chapter 7

It had been a couple of days since Andy had last been at the hospital, she had tried more than once to go and visit him but it seemed that he always had company, from the doctor, to Sara, or a nurse randomly checking up on him,. Andy had listened outside one evening to hear the nurse and doctor discussing his progress. It seemed that he had had more improvement in a few days then he had had in five months, but that stopped 3 nights ago and they weren't sure why. Andy decided she was going to see Sam tonight no matter what, and hatched her plan to go between 12 and 2 am when the shift changes where happening. At 12 am sharp and entered the hospital and made her ascend to Sam's room, with the coast all clear she snuck into his room and sat on his bedside.

"I missed you "she whispered in his ear and she slowly pushed his hair from face. "I was thinking I'm not sure how much longer I can do this, the sneaking part I mean," Andy felt the need to correct herself out loud to him. "I'm going to try to talk to your sister again, make her understand that I'm sorry and that none of this, was my intention, "Andy said as she waved her arm around. "What do you think? "Andy looked at Sam, "that's what I thought, I'm overthinking again right "Andy looked at Sam and could imagine his smirk.

Andy continued to tell Sam about how her undercover went and how Nick had been a really good friend and partner. she continued to tell him how bad she felt because he tried to talk to the other day but she was to consumed with everything, and having to go see the department shrink that she said give me a day and then she never got back to him.

"I'm such a mess Sam, I know I said I like mess, but I don't. I wish I could figure out what was going on, why your sister hates me so much, Gail couldn't have said anything that bad, she's my friend right, and what about Tracy and Oliver they wouldn't have said bad things, I'm sure, I know, I know, I'm rabbling, I can't help it'? Andy laughed to herself.

"I'm going to go, I will try to see your sister tomorrow and straighten all this out, maybe talk to Oliver, catch up with Nick, I'll be back as soon as I can, I'm not sure if you can actually hear me, and I'm sure how it will be when you wake up, just know I am sorry and maybe I'll have to take out your trash, and make you dinner, but I'm sure whatever it is well figure it out together. "With that Andy snuck out of the hospital and headed towards home.

As Andy arrived home, she was surprised to see nick kneeling down against her door, head on his arms and sleeping quietly.

"Hey" Andy said as she gently nudged Nick's arms

"Hey" he responded, "What time is it?"

"A little after three, what are you doing here, you okay "Andy asked concerned

"Can I come in, I think we'll need to have a drink while we talk "Nick stated very quietly

"Okay come on in, "Andy said as she led the way to the fridge to grab some beers before heading to the couch, "so what's up?"

Nick sat down and sighed, he filled Andy in on everything that Gail had said to him and to Sara. The look that graced Andy's face was similar to one the night during their undercover operation. As Nick glanced down at his hands then back to Andy, he literally felt as if his heart was breaking. Andy sat there, eyes reddened, lips just a touch open, and what some would say a blank stare, this made Nick the most frightened, for those who knew Andy she wore her heart on her sleeve, and at that moment he felt like he could see her heart breaking into a thousand pieces. As Nick placed a hand on Andy's shoulder, she slowly looked up, her eyes puffier than before "I'm sorry I messed up things so bad for you and Gail" Andy whispered" I never meant for any of this to happen, please say you believe that."

Nick gazed at Andy and pulled her in front of him and touched her cheeks in the palms of his hands, he slowly wiped the tears away from under her eyes and lifted her head so she was looking at him.

"Please Andy, please just, "Nick almost whispered as he brushed the hair from her face"im not going anywhere. "With the last breath started to exhale he pulled her into a hug, both falling to their knees as they shared a tender embrace.

The sun slowly began rise before Nick realized they must have fallen asleep leaning against the couch. It was then that he heard a knock on the door. Slowly Nick made his way towards the door, glancing over his shoulder quickly to see Andy beginning to stir, he proceeded to open the door.

"Hi can we talk for a minute "Gail asked hopefully

"look, now's not a good time okay, maybe later, right now I'm dealing with other things okay "Nick said his voice hushed but not unkind

"Please Nick I only want five minutes, then, I'll go. I came by your place and you never came home so I thought I would try here, Gail said pushing towards to door." It was then that she noticed Andy leaning against the couch, her head in her arm and legs curled up under her. "Wow that didn't take long did it "Gail snarled. With one quick movement Nick slammed the door in her face, all she heard after that was Nick saying you'll never learn, will you…

"Was that Gail? "Andy asked Nick when he came back and sat beside her

"Yeah, look I know it all looks bad now but, it will all work out I promise, ok. Last night, everything I told you, I know it seems unreal, but once everyone knows what's going on well be okay, and a lot of amends will need to be made, but well get through it okay. "Nick said trying to sound calming.

"I know it's just all this hit me hard last night, I can't believe it all. It seems surreal, you know. Look I'm going to head out barn to get some paperwork done and maybe catch up with Tracy and Oliver, before I go see Sam and Sara try to fix this mess. "Andy said sounding hopeful

"Good luck, call me later, we still need to talk and I mean it this time, ok" Nick said with a sarcastic tone.

As Andy headed to the barn after bidding Nick farewell she decided today things were going to change.

Sam POV

Everything had been silent and dark, he hadn't thought a thought or felt an emotion for, well, he didn't know how long. There had been no peace, something he had not known for as long as he could remember. For all his life he had turmoil, complications, it was what it was. But something had been wrong, down he had felt a strange sense of loss, of having misplaced something precious, he just simply couldn't remember what it was.

Awareness had returned slowly, with the sound of heart monitors and whispering of words, nothing specific that he could put a label to, just a feeling of rising up out of a blackness. It was not until a sadness washed over him, not a remembered sadness, but one he knew he had carried for some time. It gnawed at him like an itch he couldn't scratch, or a sound he couldn't identify.

It wasn't until a sudden jolt, like someone hit a light switch in his head that the disorienting swirl of color and sound, and electricity…jumping from nerve to nerve made him come from the darkness. Andy.

He had been the one that sent her away, the darkness, the sadness was giving way to rain and an empty parking lot. The gasp became a silent scream, ripping from a soul bereft of the one thing that might dispel the loss of light and warmth.

Better to simply stay in his darkened state, cut off from the pain, wallowing in the nothing. It was easy to ignore the stimulus, it was removed anyway and to connect to it would have taken a dream that would never really come true

But then there was a voice, and it seemed to be hers. The familiar tone and giggle seemed to fill the room. Her words whispered to him, sweet, kind and loving, but also longing. She needed him, and she seemed to be urging him to come back.

He felt her lips against his cheek, her hands in his hair, on his arms, was this real…it came on

Suddenly, the anxiety coming at a slow pace the awareness of things around him.

The effort exhausting as he tried to reach for her, the words that she whispered began to fade he could feel it touches going further away, and the warmth of her words and touch leaving him suddenly feeling as scared and alone.

Thanks For the reviews, still looking for help with beta reader pls pm directly thanks again