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Chapter 9- Little Gifts.

It was a little after Ten pm when Sam finally made it home from shift.

The day had turned to dismal annoyance after he had stopped at home. Accident after accident gave him a headache and helping numerous stranded people had made him feel like the day was never going to end. It wasn't that he minded; it was part of the reason he became a cop, helping people- it was just that when stupidity was a persons only asset it kind of became frustrating.

He was sneaking into his house not wanting to wake anyone up in case Andy was sleeping on the couch again. What he wasn't expecting was for her to turn his way when he walked in.

She was watching TV and seemed somewhat relieved when he walked in. Bailey had probably worn her out.

"Hi" Sam said from behind the couch, her hand lifting to wave him a little hello in reply.

"She okay?"

"She's great. Worn out. Dinners in the oven" Andy stood up. She still looked lost and like she felt really out of her depth.

"I didn't mean to..." Andy waved her hand around in the air hinting at the decorations that littered every nook and cranny. Sam could swear that there were more decorations up now than there had been when he stopped by earlier.

"It's okay. I don't have any anyway". Sam felt like a scrooge. He didn't really do Christmas.

Hadn't since he left home...

Andy raised an eyebrow at him as if she wanted to ask him why not.

"I don't do Christmas". Sam shifted around uncomfortably. Why was it so awkward to admit that? It wasn't like it was the end of the world.

"I can take them down" she mumbled.

"No, it's okay. She worked hard on doing it" Sam really didn't want them to be taken down, they looked nice.

"Want coffee?" Sam asked changing the subject. Andy shook her head, and he noticed the empty cup on the table in front of her.

"Thanks for today, and for...this" Sam waved around the room before heading for the kitchen in search of dinner. He knew that Bailey had probably needed a day like today.

Sam found dinner where she promised it would be, two bowls of rice and chicken a la king that looked divine.

Sam stuck his plate into the microwave after dishing up, and set out to make coffee when he found salad in the fridge when he was looking for a bottle of water to quench his thirst while he waited for the kettle to boil.

Turning to peer into the lounge he found the TV off and the couch empty.

At least she had listened to his request and gone to sleep in Bailey's bed.

...

Sam was the first one awake, Andy's coughing had disturbed his sleep but it wasn't really her fault.

He put coffee on and set out a bowl and some cereal for Bailey for when she got up. It was another snow day so he still had to ask Andy if she wouldn't mind watching Bailey again. He had intended on asking her last night, but it didn't work out the way he planned.

That was why he hardly ever planned anything; because it always went wrong.

Sam was expecting someone to wake up before he left, but both Andy and Bailey were still fast asleep by the time Sam needed to leave.

He made Andy a cup of coffee and took it upstairs where he knocked on Bailey's door.

She didn't reply so Sam opened the door and walked across the room where he set the coffee down next to the bed.

Andy stirred, but didn't wake up.

Sam stood over her taking her in while she was asleep, and she reminded him of Bailey. She too got the look of freedom on her face when she slept.

She really was a beautiful...

Sam snapped himself out of it and called Andy who in turn bolted upright and was instantly awake.

"Sorry" Sam said sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "Didn't mean to wake you".

Andy was sitting up straight and looked tense, like she'd really gotten a fright.

"I need to... It's a snow day can you stay?" Sam just got the words to roll over his lips. No sense beating around the bush.

"Sure" Andy said.

Sam nodded, his way of saying thank you before he left feeling like he'd started the day out really awkwardly.

...

"So, where's Bailey?" Oliver asked when he saw Sam heading for the locker room.

"Home" Sam said and carried on walking but Oliver was Oliver, and he followed.

"By herself?"

"Really?" Sam glanced his way before entering the locker room, Oliver still hot on his heels.

"Okay, so who's she with?" Oliver's interrogation skills weren't the best, but he had this undeniable urge to just ask everything straight out and to the point.

"The sitter". Sam didn't flinch when he answered. He knew that Oliver would pick up on the smallest sign of any emotion or expression crossing his face.

"You have a sitter?".

"Yup". Sam opened his locker and pulled out his uniform.

"Since when? Oh wait, it's her right?" Oliver seemed unsettled when he figured out that they were having a conversation about Andy McNally.

"This, is trouble" Oliver suddenly said, his brows dipping.

"This, is none of your business Ollie" Sam said in reply as he pulled his thermal shirt up over his head.

"Sammy, you don't even know her, she's been a runaway for six years and who knows what happened in those six years?".

"She's not like that" Sam countered before making a break for the door.

"You're going to regret this Sam" Oliver called out just as Sam crossed into the hallway when he was done pulling on his uniform.

...

After another harrowing shift, Sam was more than a little happy to be arriving home.

Tonight the lounge light was on, and he could hear the TV even before he reached the front door. It wasn't loud, but it was the only noise audible in his entire street.

Once he was inside, Sam wasn't surprised that Andy was still up even if it was a little after two am.

She looked flushed when she saw his presence emerge through the door.

"Hi" Sam said not really caring if it sounded out of character for him to be that friendly this time of the morning.

"Hey" she smiled sweetly.

If he was honest with himself, he had hoped that she would be awake because he had a surprise for her.

"Kettles hot" Andy motioned towards the kitchen.

"Thanks. Are you busy tomorrow?"

Andy let out a light giggle at his question. It wasn't like she really had any kind of schedule or itinerary going at the moment.

"Am I?" She asked.

"Yeah, I kind of need you to go somewhere with me". Sam bent down and unzipped his duffle bag before pulling out a pasty yellow envelope and holding it out to her.

"Schools back in, and I'm off so tomorrows good".

Andy took the envelope and eyed him cautiously. She lifted the flap and pulled out a few sheets of paper before nearly dropping the entire bundle in her hands.

"How?" She whispered without looking at him.

"I'm a cop remember?" Sam joked. But it only earned him a scowl in response.

"I'm kidding. I pulled your records and your Dads, and filled in an application requisition and provided a motivation letter so you need photos and prints and you're good to go".

Sam guessed that she didn't have ID because she had nothing to substantiate or back up her identity with, nor could she afford the fees she needed to pay so he decided he want to do this for her.

"I can't...". Andy thrust the envelope back at him after picking it up, and then she intended on walking away. But, she didn't. She just kind of hovered in front of him, shifting around on her own feet.

"I'm sorry, it's really nice of you but I can't pay you back and then there's the little issue of the convenience stores so...".

Sam guessed that she'd have reservations for that reason, so he'd taken care of that too.

"That's no longer an issue"

"Because?"

"I kind of may have stopped there for gum?".

"May have stopped for gum?" Andy repeated like it was just an ordinary conversation.

"Look, I paid the guy for what you took and so he needs to drop the charges because technically, paid items aren't stolen property".

"You shouldn't have done that" Andy looked fretfully at the mention of money.

"Andy, it wasn't much and I needed your records to be clean to get your ID so I'm sorry". Sam really didn't care if she liked it or not, it was a necessity. It was also a fresh start for her, one without criminal offenses dragging her down.

It was his way of saying thank you for helping him out, but more so it was his way of giving something back to the world.

Andy was looking at him like a dear caught in the headlights of a tank bearing down on her, and he really didn't like the look.

"I'm not sorry I did it. It wasn't even Thirty bucks, so can we just forget about it?" Sam was grumpy but he was tired and stressed and that wasn't helping.

Andy couldn't wrap her mind around what she was hearing. He had gone out of his way to sort her life out and he really didn't look like he was expecting anything in return.

She wasn't used to that kind of... Well any kind of someone giving something for nothing.

"Thank you" She said finding her manners. It was harsh of her to be so ungrateful when someone went out of their way to do something so nice for her.

"No problem" Sam ran a hand through his hair before walking away.

He needed to get some sleep.

***** hello down here.

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Jelly Bean Jenna©