Thank you so much for the reviews and feedback! I find myself sneaking bits and pieces of the stories at work trying to get it out! You guys have been awesome! The reviews let me know I'm not actually wasting my time!

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue, but do I wish I did.

Now where did we leave off? …..

"Wouldn't want to keep Swarek waiting."

"That's not fair Luke," she said to him before she turned to go. She could feel his eyes burning into her back as she hurried out to meet up with Sam.

"Everything ok McNally?" Sam asked sincerely as she climbed into the car.

"Yeah, he's just a little mad about me not being around last night."

"You didn't tell him?" Sam glanced sideways at her.

"Well I don't need to ask his permission to hang out with my partner do I?"

"Nope, not in my book," Sam smiled. This might just be a good day after all he thought to himself.

She flashed him a quick smile before her features took on a sheepish look. "How's your foot by the way?"

Sam's grin got a bit wider, "Like it never happened, you stomp like a girl McNally."

Her eyes got wide and he could tell he had irritated her just a little bit, and he liked it. He had so much more fun when she was feeling feisty. Not telling her that she had left a heel shaped bruised that had already started turning an interesting shade of dark purple on his was proving to be worth it. If he could get her out of her funk and into the teasing mood, his day would be nearly complete.

"You deserved it."

"Ouch, McNally, ouch" he said playfully to her. "I think you should buy the injured party a coffee as a peace offering."

"Deal," she chirped, her smile wide and lazy. Silently to herself, she remarked how easy and carefree Sam made her feel.

Hours later, the duo headed into the station still in excited moods, despite the guy they were bringing in for booking. Sam led the way feigning indifference towards everything the guy said, while Andy was following pulling the guy along. She wasn't overly talkative, and rolled her eyes at him once or twice, but she was doing her best not to be completely rude to him. There was no warning for what came next.

The man took advantage of Andy stepping in front of him to drag him along and charged her, pinning her to a wall. Her head hit and for a moment she saw little dots begin to dance their way across her vision. She felt crushed against the wall, but that only lasted momentarily until the cool air rushed her and she heard chaos erupt behind her. Andy turned quickly to get her bearings only to see Sam on top of her suspect with her knee in his back, seeing that everything was under control, Andy let the dizziness hit her and she slid down the wall.

Sam was in front of her before she realized she had slid to the floor. He had one hand on her arm and the other on the side of her face. Andy looked up into his worried face and all the noise seemed to fade away. She blinked a few times, but didn't take her eyes off Sam's face.

"McNally," he questioned, voice low and unsure. "You alright?"

She blinked a few more times and shook her head. "Yeah. Help me up?"

Sam stepped and reached down to pull her up. Andy slid against him for a second before taking a dazed step and stumbling, nearly tripping over the foot that she had stomped on him the night before. Sam grabbed her upper arms and leaned her back against the wall to steady her. "You sure you're okay McNally?"

"Would you two get a room already?" their suspect quipped from the floor where Chris and Oliver had taken over keeping him on the ground. "Seriously, they're disgusting don't you have rules?"

Sam and Andy couldn't help it, they had to laugh. Everyone was always assuming that about them. Sam grinned quickly before wrapping his arm around Andy's shoulders, "Come on McNally, it seems we make him uncomfortable, guess we're just gonna have to make him uncomfortable all the way down to booking, where we get to add assault on an officer to the charges."

Andy blushed a bit at Sam's arm around her shoulder but she didn't fight it. Sam was having a bit of fun, and she would too. Oliver was grinning and Chris was looking at her sternly wondering what the hell was going on with everyone.

In all the commotion, no one saw Luke standing back in the squad room or the look of hurt and confusion on his face watching Andy and Sam interact. He had heard the commotion and come out to help, only to realize that it was Andy that had gotten hit. He rushed forward only see Swarek crouched over with his hand on her face.

Luke watched frozen in place as Sam helped Andy up. And then, the perp's words caught his attention. Initially, their interaction hadn't caused him too much concern, but the perp's dig, and then Sam wrapping his arm around Andy's shoulders had felt like a punch in the gut. What the hell? Luke's mind was racing but he didn't want to jump to conclusions. Sam had taken Andy under his wing, true Sam had come to him and manned up about putting the moves on Andy, but neither had said when it happened, and Sam certainly didn't say he'd stop trying. Luke paced his office nervously waiting for his girlfriend to come back from booking.

Half an hour later, Andy stepped out of the women's locker room. She a bump on her forehead that was beginning to make itself known and she couldn't shake the head ache that growing in its intensity. Sam fell into step beside her, "How's the head?"

Andy lifted her hair a bit sheepishly to show him the bump that was swelling and saw him cringe. "It wasn't your fault Sam." She quieted seeing his frown as he turned to her.

"Well I still should have paid more attention, you could have gotten hurt," he flashed her a smile, "And then I'd have to dance with Sarah's friend at the wedding and that would be absolute torture!"

Andy cracked a smile and shook her head at him promising she'd meet him at the dance studio first thing in the morning, she said good night. After he left her she looked around for Traci, but not seeing her, she let out a breath and that's when she saw Luke watching her with an unreadable look.

"Hey," she said to him a bit sheepishly.

"Hey," he said simply. "That's quite a bump"

Andy's hand went instantly to her forehead embarrassed that the swollen lump was noticeable. She shifted nervously still uncertain of his mood. "I wasn't really paying attention when we were bringing someone in, he made me pay for it."

Luke's eyes still searched her face, but not knowing what he was looking for he said flatly, "Good thing Swarek came to the rescue then."

His comment let Andy know that he still was feeling bitter and whatever had got him bothered about Sam this morning had festered all day. "Luke," her voice got lower and her eyes shot around the room to see if any one was paying attention. When she was satisfied that no one was paying them any mind she begin again, "Whats with you today? Why does Swarek bother you so much? He's my partner Luke."

"Yeah, I got that. He's your partner," Luke scoffed at her. Normally, he wasn't insecure and wasn't usually one to be jealous, but the last day or two, Andy's easy relationship with her TO was getting under his skin. It wasn't necessarily their fault, Luke had been psyched to have Andy meet the guys he knew from the 7th who were working the case with him. He had sung her praises to all of them, and he couldn't wait to see the envy that Andy caused in other guys. He took a lot of pride in knowing that other men wanted what he had.

Andy was quiet and pensive. Sometimes she didn't know what caused Luke's mood swings. They didn't happen often, he was too good natured, but they almost always involved a certain dimpled man who either infuriated her or made her smile. Andy needed to remember to filter her reaction to Sam a bit more, especially around Luke.

Luke felt a bit foolish getting worked up, but when he got to the Penny last night and Andy wasn't there he asked the other rookies where she was. They all shrugged a bit surprised that she hadn't shown up yet. He had tried to call, but she wasn't answering. While he was having drinks with the detectives from the 7th he couldn't help but over hear Epstein's comments to Shaw.

***Flash Back***

"You're down in numbers tonight," Shaw said to him when he came to the bar for a drink.

Dov turned back to look at the rookie table and shrugged. "Don't know where she is. Callaghan was looking for her too. Nash is probably gonna put up the bat signal soon." Dov looked around his TO's shoulder to where his group usually sat. "Looks like your numbers are a little low tonight as well."

Shaw didn't bother to look over his shoulder at his friends, he looked past Dov's cocky look to Luke who had turned to look over Shaw's shoulder at the missing member of the group. All accounted for but Sam. Luke's frustration flared a bit. Best not jump to conclusions. The conversation continued.

"That's against the rules Epstein," Shaw continued. "Not that there's a correlation anyway."

"Are you kidding me? Rules?" Epstein's voice begin to increase in volume with his disbelief and excitement. "Swarek doesn't follow the rules and Andy is HIS faithful follower!"

At the time, Luke didn't really want to employ to much brain power trying to decide whether or not his girlfriend hadn't shown because she was with her TO. The same TO who had admitted that he put the moves on her but had shot her down.

That unsettling feeling he had the previous night came back to him as he thought about seeing Andy and Sam together today. They had been in their own world today barely noticing anyone or anything that didn't come into direct contact with the other. He knew Andy was waiting patiently for some explanation so he figured falling back on a safe one he pulled out when he was worried.

"He let you get hurt today Andy."

"Not fair Luke," she stated clearly angry now. "It happens, it was my mistake."

Anger flashed across his face. "He supposed to teach you how to NOT get hurt. He's supposed to have his head in the game and make sure you won't get hurt. He won't be there all the time!"

Sam had walked back into the station to hurry Jerry along and he heard Luke's voice carry over the other noise. His anger peaked at the horrified look on Andy's face, and he nearly lost it over Luke's thoughtless words about his carelessness with Andy. Of course he would always be there for her, they were partners, hell they were friends. Fortunately, before Luke could irritate his impressive temper any more with his accusations, Andy stormed out of the precinct never looking up.

"I'm always gonna have her back Callaghan," Sam stated flatly closing the distance between them.

"Really? Like you did today? She could have really gotten hurt Swarek," Luke shot back at him. He knew he was getting irrationally angry, but it was too easy. There was too much resentment between the two men.

Luke's comment was a direct hit. Sam had felt guilty about not paying more attention when they brought the guy in for booking. He had been paying too much attention to their banter and thinking about how he was actually looking forward to the dance lessons Sarah had scheduled tomorrow. His lack of attention had allowed her to relax, he wasn't thinking and neither was she. As cops, they couldn't afford themselves the luxury of not paying attention to their surroundings. Someone could get hurt that way, and she had today. It was a sobering reminder to Sam that he had more to teach her yet.

"She's not glass Callaghan. She won't break because she gets bumped around," Sam stately evenly. "You can bet that she will never make the mistake that happened today again." He was going to make damn well sure of it. She would not get hurt because he hadn't taught her to fully trust her gut and her senses.

"You're gonna get her hurt or killed," Luke spat. "They never should have let you become a TO, Best should reassign her." With that he pushed passed Sam and into his office. He still had a little over an hour until he had to meet up with the boys from the 7th and he was going to try and bury himself in work to avoid this mess and his jumbled feelings. He didn't even think to call Andy to try and mend the argument. And he certainly didn't think that man he just blown up at would head over to his partner's apartment with her favorite food and try to talk some sense into her.

Ok guys, I know this chapter was probably a bit long. Sorry! I needed add a bit more tension to the story. Plus, now we know what everyone else was doing well Sam and Andy were entertaining us with their antics! Their banter seems to write itself for me and I needed to break it up a bit. Reviews are greatly appreciated! They let me know if I'm heading in the right direction.

Thanks,

Nikka

xoxox

P.S. Rookie Blue Season 1 is scheduled to be released May 31st! Just got my alert from Amazon today! YAY!