A/N: Thanks again to those taking the time to drop a review, this one's especially for each of you! Happy Valentine's!

This chapter also has an extended scene (M Rated) - you'll know where that fits in when you get to the spot. If you want to read those particular moments, go to my M rated fic 'More Than Ever Now' CHAPTER 2. That story is being updated at the same time as this, so hopefully it won't be TOO hard to find). Apologies if that's annoying, I just wanted to respect T-only audience views here.

Disclaimer: I do not own Rookie Blue

February 14, 2014

Ro~mance (n). A feeling of excitement or mystery associated with love.

Andy stretches out languidly as she wakes up to Valentine's Day.

She pats at the other side of the bed, not quite ready to muster the energy to roll on top of Sam, or even open her eyes.

Instead of his warm, muscular body however, she's met with cool, empty sheets. It's -

Entirely disappointing.

She turns her face to look at the clock on the bedside table, noticing it's still way too early for anything other than bed. She wonders whether she's going to see Sam come back in the room any second, OJ and toast, and that killer smile.

She rolls back to face his pillow, grinning at the thought of morning Sam.

It's then that she sees it –

A small scrap of paper from the bottom edge of a page that appears to be out of his notebook for work.

A bunch of scrawling letters that ooze the sex appeal that he does, are inked on in black:

Morning sweetheart.

Got a call from Nash to get to 15 early.

Didn't want to wake you.

Love you.

Andy stares at the note and feels a pang in her heart. It's a good one, but she also can't help but feel the tiniest bit disappointed; not that she is into the whole Valentine's Day thing…but, she thought maybe a card…or some small gesture from Sam might've been nice.

She sighs and figures she maybe didn't drop enough hints that she would at least like for them to use this particular day to acknowledge what a great place they're in –

Ugh. She's being ridiculous. They're forever doing little things for one another that are incredibly sweet and filled with love. She doesn't need anything commercial to prove the point. Besides –

Sam isn't really the type of guy to think much of that whole side of it…at all.

She folds the small note in half, opens her bedside drawer and places it on top of the Valentine's Day card that she's got tucked away in there for him; one of those funny ones that is simple, but the gesture is all up front…leaving her scribbled and personal thoughts inside it to tell Sam how much she loves him and the fact that he's in her life every day.

After another 10 minutes of just staring at their bedroom ceiling, processing her 'to do' list for today, Andy finally gets herself out of bed and puts on a robe.

She shuffles out of the room and down the stairs through the quiet house.

Boo joins her at the entry to the kitchen, having just come there himself. She gives him a pet on the head and tells him they'll have a game in the yard before she has to go out.

Gail is eating some toast in the kitchen itself, a large mug of coffee on the bench next to her and her phone in her hand. She is very, very focused on whatever's on her screen; messages or tweets, Andy couldn't predict.

Her blonde housemate-colleague-friend is already dressed and groomed, despite not having to be on shift for another few hours.

Andy quirks an eyebrow to herself more than anyone, considering whether maybe Gail has 'plans' for this morning before she heads off to work. Not that Andy is that curious about this whole Nick/Luke situation, but –

Yeah. She totally is curious.

"You heading out?" Andy asks with her most casual voice. She forces a yawn to add some effect and rubs at her eyes. When she's met with silence, she makes her way to the pantry.

"Swarek reminded me I have to take you to the hospital this morning. Hold your hand while the cast comes off." Gail's voice is monotone, and even when Andy looks in her direction, she's still running an index finger over her phone, her eyes fixed on it.

Andy scratches at her head, remembering the appointment. She also remembers that Sam has to be in court this morning, and could be there for most of the day –

She frowns to herself; disappointed that they won't even be able to take a half hour to go to that deli they like and grab their favorite sandwiches for a quick lunch together.

Gail looks up at Andy finally, and takes a large slurp of her coffee. When she puts her cup back on the bench she quirks an eyebrow and sends a half-smirk Andy's way: "Everything okay, McNally? Swarek not give you enough of a Valentinesing last night?"

Andy scowls and huffs at her blonde 'friend'. "That's not -"

(He did. He totally did. More than twice.)

"I just forgot he had to be in court…" Andy pushes on. "You, um. You saw him this morning?"

"We crossed paths," Gail replies coolly, casting her eyes back to the matters of greater importance that are on her phone.

Andy blinks.

Gail is really not the sort of person to be up and about early. And if Sam left here early…

Well. Andy is more than curious now.

Still, she figures she's going to have to play this cool. "Oh yeah? He say anything else?"

Andy pours herself a coffee and offers Gail up some more. When she's done with the pleasantries, she wraps her hands around the warm cup and waits for the Peck response.

Gail's eyes flash up to Andy's briefly, enough of a tell to alert Andy to some kind of transaction between her fiancé and Gail, that maybe Gail doesn't want to talk about.

After another short stretch of silence, Gail widens her eyes and pouts, a ridiculous look on her face. "To tell you that he wuvs you…" The blonde's voice goes Betty Boop as she flutters her eyelashes. "Vewy, vewy much."

"Why were you up so early?" Andy interrupts abruptly, stern as all get out. She's no longer able to contain herself and keep playing these games. Gail is meant to be her friend, she thought her and Sam had earned her trust and respect. And sure, Gail's private life is really none of their business, but she's concerned about her…

Andy just wants to know what's going on.

Gail takes another sip of her coffee, glaring at Andy over the rim in the process.

"We know you're seeing Nick…and Luke…and…" Andy's hands flap around as she works her way into a mild state of frustration, wanting to know what Gail's doing about her life in general terms.

Gail puts her cup down again and interlocks her hands out in front of her and on top of the bench. "Jesus. Chill, Andy. If you really want to know about my romantic liaisons, I'll tell you. I just didn't think it was that big a deal-." She gives a slight shrug at the end of the sentence, like it's not anything important in anyone else's life.

Andy collects herself and her voice, forcing herself to display a calmer exterior. "It is a big deal, Gail. You're a big deal. You're living with us. We care about you. We love you, okay."

Gail's face turns less stony on Andy's words, her shoulders slumping a fraction. "Okay, okay. I get it. You're interested in my life choices."

The two women lean on the bench and eye one another up for a minute, Gail noticeably less terse and in control than she was moments ago.

"I'm…taking things slow with Nick, okay. I kind of just want to not let myself get caught up in a flurry of passion…all over again." Gail peers into her mug as though it might give her some answers. "I'm still trying to figure out whether we're good together, okay?"

Andy nods silently, hoping her friend will sense that she really does empathize with her about all the complex things she's probably feeling. Still, she can't help but wonder –

"What about Luke?"

Gail rolls her eyes. "Pfft." She shakes her head and lets out a mirthless laugh. "God, Andy. I dunno. Look…I'm a sucker for a pretty boy paying me a little attention okay?"

Andy quirks her whole head and raises her eyebrows in a challenge. "What does that even mean, Gail?"

The blonde stares at her coolly. "We've hung out together a few times…had some beer…flirted. Nothing else has happened…yet." She licks her lip and leaves it with a bite. "I know that's probably weird for you, okay?"

"I…" Andy starts up but can't follow through. "A little…but…" Andy racks her brain trying to think of an appropriate question or response. "Do either of you want more than that?"

Gail's mouth twitches. "I like being around him…we kind of get one another in a different way, I guess." She peers back into her cup and sighs. "I care about both of them…"

Andy feels a sudden and completely unexpected pang in her heart for her friend. She was fully prepared to go into this conversation making some sort of judgement call and tell Gail to be careful and what not. But what she's realizing from the increasingly earnest look on Gail's face…is that her friend is…torn.

Torn about who and what is 'good' or 'right' for her. Torn maybe about what 'love' really is at all.

Something inside Andy feels bruised for her friend. Andy recognizes that what she's feeling is empathy; memories of her own two years of her feeling things for two very different men.

Andy swallows, a harsh dose of reality of having cast any aspersion over what Gail might be going through. "You sound a little stuck," she croaks out to her friend eventually.

Gail gives a crooked smile and nods. "That could be the right word."

Andy blows out some breath and walks around to Gail's side of the bench. She leans at the same angle as her friend and bumps shoulders with her. "Want some advice from my personal experience?"

Gail quirks an eyebrow, and steadfastly does not look Andy's way. "Do I get an option?"

Andy lowers her voice and speaks as softly and with as much encouragement as she can: "Be open and honest about all of this with both of them….and with yourself?"

Gail sucks in her cheeks and finally looks at Andy. She blinks once or twice, and then finally, finally… gives an imperceptible and brief nod of her head.

It's shortly after Gail and Andy leave the hospital that her phone rings, its Rush tone telling her that it's Sam.

"For godsake, make him a new song, will you?" Gail rolls her eyes, getting into the drivers' side of the car and giving Andy the hurry up too.

"Hey you," Andy eventually answers the call a little breathless, attempting to juggle the paraphernalia she was given regarding physiotherapy and what not.

"You back at full capacity yet?" Andy can hear the grin on Sam; he's got to be relieved too. It's not that Andy was a bad patient, or completely useless, but there have been occasions when she felt like she was.

"Totally gonna get both my hands on you next time you're in front of my face," Andy quips with her own smile, forgetting where she is and whose company she's in.

"Ugh," Gail groans, indicating a lane change and accelerating; clearly unimpressed with the visuals that promotes.

"Can't wait," Sam says quietly. It's probable he's still at the courthouse and only phoning because he's found a chance. "I…ah…it might not be 'til later tonight though?"

Andy bites her lip, calculating what time they're both meant to be off shift –

"How late?" Andy tries to keep her voice steady. Sam rarely works around the clock, but he sounds like he's under some pressure –

"Um…I'm gonna be here for the rest of the day, then I gotta get over to 15 and spend a few hours there."

She knows she's being selfish. She knows Sam wouldn't be doing anything unless 15 was being pumped. It's just that she's missing him today, a little forlorn that they won't see one another at all on the supposed day of love.

She resigns herself to cooking dinner for him late and helping him relax and unwind as quickly as possible. They can share a bottle of wine, maybe a bath –

"Sorry sweetheart…I'll keep you posted, okay?" Sam's voice goes quieter, a hushed tone that makes Andy think he might be being called for again.

"Okay…" Andy replies softly, an internal debate over whether she should bring up the topic of –

"And Andy?" Sam interrupts, his volume a little louder.

"Yeah?"

"Happy Valentine's Day." When he says it, he is apologetic and uncertain of how Andy might react.

It's enough for Andy. It's enough that he's recognized it as at least somewhat important to her. "Happy Valentine's Day, Sam" Andy echoes quietly, a blush growing on her features for fear of being caught out.

After a short series of Love You's they hang up at roughly the same time, Andy beaming and her mood having taken the most delightful of turns.

"Ugh." Andy hears another groan from Gail. "I might need to pull over and puke."

When they get to 15, there is another small surprise in store for Andy.

She's assigned to desk duty for a week, until the Health and Safety Officer can clear her to go back out on the beat. She will also be able to still help with some of the D's cases, meaning maybe she can help Sam and Traci with whatever's causing them some grief today. But, that's not the surprise –

The surprise is with Oliver, who is perched up on the desk she'll be based at.

He is holding a white box in his hands that sort of looks like a cake box from Andy's favorite –

"It is only the fear of God that Sammy put in me, that has made these goods last." Oliver smirks at her. "That, and the fact he said you'd probably be kind enough to share." He extends the box in her direction, not taking his eyes off it.

Andy's own eyes go wide with excitement. "This is from Sam?"

Oliver nods. "The man tempts fate, McNally. What can I say?"

She grins as she snatches the box from Ollie, and opens it eagerly.

Her jaw drops open as she sees what's inside. It is from her favorite bakery, and these are one of her favorite things.

Inside are a whole dozen baby-cakes; one of every flavor they sell there, each decorated with its pretty icing and making Andy's stomach growl.

As she lifts the lid further, she spots a note taped under it; another piece of paper from Sam's note book.

Thought you might need at least one of these this morning. No doubt you were brave as that damn cast came off.

Andy can't contain the grin that takes over her face, nor the giggles. She can practically hear the sarcasm dripping from the note.

"Now do I get one?" Oliver asks with a straight face, staring into the box.

Andy laughs a little harder and shakes her head at Oliver's penchant for food.

She nudges the box back in his direction. "You can have two for your troubles. But not that one or that one," Andy says as she smacks away Shaw's stealth fingers from the one that's chocolate, and the passionfruit that is close by.

Not five minutes later, Andy is swiveling on her chair looking blankly at the boring data on the screen in front of her.

She pops the passionfruit baby cake in her mouth and closes her eyes, relishing the burst of flavor and trying not to moan.

"I'll have what you're having," is the snicker she hears out of no place, Nick's voice when he's at his cheekiest.

When she opens her eyes and peers at him, her eyes go wider still with what's in his arms. It's the biggest bouquet of flowers that Andy's ever seen; roses and lilies and a range of other colored petals. He's almost swamped by the size.

"For Gail?" Andy asks with cake in her mouth as she gazes into the vibrant mass, impressed with Nick's efforts on a little romance.

"Well. As much as I'm fond of you Andy, I figure I've already got your vote that I actually am a good guy."

Andy smiles crookedly at her friend, tilting her head and giving him a look of some sympathy. "She'll love them."

"She'd better." Nick looks around the room, evidently on the watch for who he's trying to win over still. "Between this and the dinner I've got planned, I'll be doing overtime for the next two weeks."

Andy quirks an eyebrow; hopeful that today's events could tip Gail in a decision toward Nick. "You're taking her out tonight?"

Nick nods and bites his lip. "Yeah…well…assuming she hasn't changed her mind since last night."

Andy realizes Gail didn't tell her about the invitation for exactly that reason. Still, she's pretty sure Nick can be convincing. This bunch of flowers should be a clincher for sure.

"Oh." Nick lets out a breath suddenly. "I can't believe I almost forgot." He reaches into a pocket and pulls out an envelope. "I was asking Sam some advice on flowers to get Gail yesterday…which…yeah, he looked at me like I had two heads…anyway…" Nick is babbling, but he hands over the envelope to Andy as he does so. "He called me this morning, asked me to pick this up while I was at the florist…and then give it to you."

Andy's brow furrows as she looks at the cream colored envelope; blank except for the florists' logo on the outside.

"Gail!" Nick yells across the room, noticing his romantic interest heading toward the exit.

Andy looks up and notices the surprised expression on Gail's face as she spins on a heel.

Andy casts her eyes back to the envelope quickly though, wanting for Nick to have his moment in the sun in some sort of privacy.

As her two friends make their way toward one another in the middle of the room, Andy opens the envelope carefully.

She pulls out another scrap of note with Sam's handwriting, and is surprised when a few small black seeds fall to the desk at the same time.

Just wanted to pick something we could watch grow together.

Andy beams brightly, realizing suddenly what the seeds are. A couple of tears spring into her eyes before she can stop them -

(Way, way back, first time around before everything went south…one lovely summer with Sam and icecream and driving around; one particular street they'd go down on the way to work from his place there was a small house with the loveliest garden in amongst others not so well maintained –

It had sunflowers out the front, a few of them reaching for the sky brightly…not a care in the world.

Andy would stare at them and smile absently. "One day I want an actual non-apartment garden. And it'll have those," she reported quietly before licking at the chocolate that started dripping down the cone in her hand.)

Her suspicions are confirmed when she reaches into the envelope further and pulls out a small tab that advises on best planting times and other facts.

She decides then and there that she'll drag Sam and Boo out to the right space at the right time, and the three will plant them together. It can be another family ritual of theirs to water and care for them. Andy can't wait.

She puts the seeds back into the envelope with the instructions and the note, and then puts it in her own pocket, making a mental note to keep them safe.

It's lunchtime before Andy hears any more updates from Sam; she's plugging away on the paperwork – bored but completely happy just to spend much of the time daydreaming about Sam and how their wedding and honeymoon might turn out. Her mobile beeps loudly, alerting her to an incoming message.

It's murder over here McNally. Wish I was there to kick your shin underneath the desk.

Andy smiles like a lunatic and stares at the text for too many minutes for other people not to notice. She punches at some letters in an effort to reach him before he gets caught up in the courtroom again:

Ouch. PS Thanks for my cakes and future flowers. You are my top favorite best ever Valentine. And I love you so much. X

Andy is interrupted from constantly checking if Sam gives any response by the sound of Diaz and Epstein's clowning around.

"Yo. Andy. Who's the best driver between me and Chris?" Dov taps on her desk loudly; it's a beat that sounds sort of familiar…some boy band thing she might've heard on the radio.

Andy cocks her head and thinks a while. (Although: totally not thinking about the two friends that stand in front of her. Totally thinking about Sam and his changing of gears). "Not sure…." Andy waivers, finally looking between Chris and Dov. "Maybe we can do a test run some day?"

Dov fist pumps the air. "Woot. Bring Swarek too, he'll make a good judge."

Chris thumps a fist friendly into Dov's shoulder. "Dude. Stop trying to impress Andy's fiancé already. He's taken, remember?"

Andy laughs brightly, and pinches at her engagement ring…and then mentally pinches herself. Sam is taken…she is taken with Sam.

Ugh.

Valentine's day schmoop has definitely gone to her head.

Chris breaks into her thoughts with an entirely proud as punch voice. "So taken in fact, that he sent me a message earlier and asked me to pick this up for you."

Andy is surprised as Chris puts a brown paper bag before her. It looks suspiciously like –

"He'd ordered and paid for it already. Hope it's not soggy…we sat there and had lunch ourselves," Dov pipes in with a grin and a few extra annoying taps on her desk.

Andy opens the bag and peeks inside, a huge smirk forming on her face as she spots her favorite deli special. Her stomach growls on a reflex as she pulls out the large salad roll on crusty white. All of a sudden she feels completely ashamed that she only thought of cooking something special for Sam tonight…that and giving him the good bottle of Scotch she bought.

Andy takes a large bite into the roll, not caring if it's a little impolite to the colleagues standing in front of her and staring. "What?" Andy says with her mouth full, a burst of flavor in her mouth that is threatening to induce yet another unfit-for-public type of moan.

Chris points an index finger at the wax paper that's acting as a catch tray for loose lettuce and whatever else is falling out as Andy works her way through her lunch greedily. "You didn't notice that?"

Andy quirks an eyebrow, and looks down at the paper that was once containing her roll. It's not Sam's writing, but they are his words. It seems he got the deli-hand to scribble something before her food made its way over here –

Wish I was there to watch you wrap your mouth around this thing. Sam.

Some of the food that was in Andy's mouth is spit out in surprise. Not so much that it's completely gross.

But still.

She blushes profusely and peers up at Dov and Chris. The two boys are still watching her, matching smirks and a pair of schoolgirl giggles for goodness sake.

"Haven't you two got work to do?" Andy glares at them, swallowing as fast as she can and giving them a: 'hurry along', so she can enjoy her lunch and Sam's pseudo-appearance all by herself.

Her two friends depart with a series of laughs and high-fives.

She can still hear them as they enter the hallway, chatter about cars again…and looking forward to the next poker night.

Andy ponders some more over Sam's sweet gestures for the next few hours. As officers come and go and her paperwork dwindles, she comes up with the only thing she can think of that may make his day end better than the stress he no doubt will continue to have for the next few hours.

It's after 5pm when he and Traci walk through the door, heads together in a quiet chatter and tired looks on both of their faces.

Trace looks at her watch and frowns, grabbing Sam by the elbow and saying something to him that has her features appearing slightly panicked.

She watches on from a distance, sees Sam look Traci in the eye, talk to her calmly, and point in the direction of the exit.

The two continue to interact with some level of animation, Traci finally giving Sam a small wave as she heads in the opposite direction – to pick up Leo, Andy assumes.

Normally, Andy would shout out to her best friend, at least give her a hello and a wave. But she figures she will catch up with Traci tomorrow, maybe even set a date for the next girls' night out.

Instead, Andy remains silent, watching and waiting for Sam from behind her computer screen.

She's sitting in a spot he won't see her if he heads straight upstairs to his office –

Which he does.

She watches his retreating figure and smiles crookedly, slowly and quietly getting out of her chair to follow behind so she's close the moment he walks in his office door.

Sam's stopped just inside his doorway by the time Andy gets there too.

He's standing and looking at his desk silently, a small smile on his face.

He turns to face her eventually, obviously having heard…or felt…her walking in. He takes a couple of steps closer in and reaches out, taking the arm of Andy's that until this morning had a cast on it.

He lifts her hand very gently and inspects her wrist closely. When he's done, he raises it further and plants a series of tiny soft kisses, in a long line against the bone that was once broken.

Andy's skin tingles, and she smiles big at Sam.

"You, ah. You got a plan for me here, McNally?" he asks eventually, as his mouth becomes free. His free hand gestures toward his desk, which has been converted into a dual space:

One half of it is clear for work, the files Andy knows Sam's working on at the moment neatly stacked in the centre of the square.

The other half is set for a romantic dinner, albeit the take-out that Andy will order just before they're ready to eat.

(She pinched a whole bunch of stuff leftover from the catering of one of the Division 15 Christmas parties; a white table cloth, cutlery, plates, and even some red candles. It's all set nicely in the tight spot in the second half of his desk.)

"Not that I'm wanting to make a habit out of putting work and romance side by side…" Andy takes a step closer herself, her chest now grazing Sam's ever so slightly. "But I know you have some things to attend to, and I want to help."

Sam swipes a thumb over Andy's knuckles. His mouth goes slack, possibly unsure what to say about Andy's gesture…like maybe he doesn't quite get the extent of 'help' she's talking about here.

Andy looks into his eyes, searching them as she tells him: "All I want tonight is to be with you Sam. I'll help you do your work; let you boss me around and get me to do the boring bits. We'll take a break and eat some take-out here, I'll massage your shoulders, I'll do anything…"

Sam cuts Andy off with a hot kiss on the mouth. It's fairly chaste considering what their normal mouth-to-mouth action is like, but it's firm and…promising.

"I'd…" Sam stutters to start with, looking back and forth between Andy and his desk. "I'd like that a lot."

Andy beams up at him and gives his palm another squeeze. "Besides…just 'cause we're working, it doesn't mean we can't play footsies under the desk. Right?"

Sam lets out a dry, fast laugh and shakes his head at her, good-natured. "Yeah, no doubt there's a bunch of drug barons that are gonna totally get us in the mood for some romance tonight."

Andy places her body all the way into Sam then, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder. "Well. Wouldn't be the first time a criminal was responsible for bringing us together like that." She smiles wistfully at the thought of the Brennan days, closing her eyes to focus on Sam's steady heart beat as they stand here together now. Ready for marriage. After all that happened…after all of that.

Sam runs a hand up and down her back lightly, rocking her a little as he goes. He kisses the top of her head after a few moments. "Okay, McNally. Let's roll."

The case is pretty boring, actually. Well…not exactly boring. Drug dealers never are. It's just that the work they're getting through tonight is all paper-based; dotting i's and crossing t's and other things that clearly don't inspire Sam.

Andy watches his frowning face for a moment, as he concentrates in the quiet – and yawns once or twice.

She gives it another moment or two before she reaches across under the desk with her sock-clad foot and rubs up his calf.

She doesn't take her eyes off the paperwork that she's got in front of her, but she smirks when her peripheral vision catches sight of the grin that crosses Sam's face.

A half hour after that Andy stands up abruptly.

"Okay, since you're gonna need a break soon, I'll go out and get us some food, okay?"

Sam puts an elbow on the desk and places his hand in his chin. He looks up at her, eyes shining and the corner of his mouth smiling. "I ever tell you I love you?"

Andy twists her mouth and hides a blush and smirk. "Took you a while," Andy says with a wink. "But, um. Yeah. I get the picture now."

The room falls silent as the two stare into one another's eyes for a while; ridiculously goofy grins taking over both their faces. Eventually, Andy snatches the truck keys off Sam's desk and rushes out of the office with a "back soon." She's in a hurry because there is more to her plan, and it requires finely tuned action and the help of at least one other soul.

Two phone calls, a food pick up, an exchange of goods and a quick trip to the locker room later, Andy finally makes her way back to Sam and his office.

She clicks her way up the stairs and in the door carefully, balancing the plastic bags containing boxes of hot noodles in each of her hands.

(Only two officers noticed as she walked past: both giving her wide eyes until they realized exactly where she was headed…who she was headed toward.)

Sam looks up when she enters.

His eyes widen as well.

There's a sparkle that shines through the weariness though, a minute grin almost there on his lips.

"Uniform wasn't helping you with the workload, McNally?" Sam is definitely looking curious, despite the cool, calm, collected exterior he's trying to exude.

Andy grins back but doesn't answer, simply placing the cartons of food on either side of their desk. She plants the cheap chopsticks there too – figuring they're a better option than the knives and forks after all.

She pours them both a half glass of red, assumes that much won't hurt. She lights the candles with a single match and tosses the stick in a bin.

She then walks to the windows, firm and decisive when she shuts tight all of the blinds, closing them in from anything and anyone outside.

When she's done with the preparations, she points for him to roll his chair and himself to the dining side of the desk.

He's been watching every move she's made in silence; his hands stacking and closing his files early on, a pen slotting in to whatever place he's going to open up when they're back to it again.

They eat their food in silence too.

Every now and then smiling, one or the other shaking their head the slightest.

"You, ah. You wearin' anything under that coat?" Sam asks quietly eventually, sucking a noodle down his throat as he gives Andy a heated look.

(She is trusting Gail with her life on this particular secret -

She made the call to her housemate friend on her way to pick up the noodles; knew what time Nick was picking her up for their date, and figured they would be the best option in terms of getting Andy's change of attire to her quickly –

The phone call also served to make sure Boo was fed for the night, Oliver apparently out already wining and dining a new lady friend.

"Are you serious?" Gail laughed in response to Andy's instructions on what to get and where from. "Andy. Have you been reading too much fanfic again?")

Andy doesn't even care that the trench-coat, heels, and sexy lingerie are cliché. She happens to know that this is a fantasy of both hers and Sam's.

(After making Gail swear and promise that she wouldn't divulge what was in the bag they met Andy with, not even to Nick, she was settled –

Her locker room transformation ready for Sam to unveil when he's …

Ready.

When his work is under control.)

Andy shrugs and flutters her eyelashes at Sam. "I guess you'll find out a little later." Her voice is dry from attempting to swallow too many noodles at once, but it just adds to the effect.

Sam puts down his chopsticks and glares at her, chewing on some tofu or whatever was left in his mouth.

"You think I can focus on work with you…lookin' like…that?"

It's not often Andy sees Sam rattled, but he's looking somewhat tetchy from where she sits now.

"Lookin' like what?" Andy keeps a straight face and continues to eat, slides a hand down her trenchcoat to make sure the buttons and belt is done up.

Sam lets a snort and then picks up his glass to swallow his wine.

"Smokin' hot," Sam croaks out eventually, like maybe he'd taken pause to find the right words.

Andy tamps down a grin and looks up at him, her own voice going some weird variation of Marilyn Monroe: "You think I look sexy or something, Detective Swarek?"

Sam rolls his eyes and chews the insides of one cheek. "You are sexy, McNally."

Sam blinks a couple of times and holds his hand out. "Now. Can you please come over here?"

The grin on Andy's face finally cracks open. As she gets up, she takes a peek over her shoulder to make sure the door is closed and trots around to Sam's side, taking care not to trip over the stupid stilettos she's wearing.

Sam rolls his chair out enough to let her stand in front of him…enough for Andy to lean a fraction forward and get her fingers in his hair.

He just sits there, looking up at her face for the longest time, his hands smoothing over the sides of her coat.

After a long quiet he plucks at the belt of the trench; unraveling it carefully like he wants to relish in the surprise.

He slides a warm hand through the space between two buttons gently, grazing the palm of his hand onto the goosebumps that form near Andy's bare abdomen.

Andy thinks it's highly, highly likely that she will never not shiver under Sam's touch. Her lips part on reflex as she watches and feels him trace patterns across her with his fingers until they finally come back to unhook the buttons and free them from the holes.

Andy looks into his eyes as the trench slips apart, feels her body start to hum louder with the way he trawls his eyes all the way down.

(It's a skimpy number she's got on underneath; black, lacy, matching. But the bra and panty set is all there is, and neither leave anything to the imagination).

Andy slides her hands in the direction of Sam's shoulders, allowing herself to follow the deep, slow breaths he's taking.

She bites down on her bottom lip hard as he guides her by the waist; first to stand nestled between his legs so he can plant a series of delicate, soft kisses at her stomach, and finally to inch her down and have her sit on his lap.

He keeps a hand on her front and the other on her back, holding her close as he puts his lips to her ear. "Top favorite best ever Valentine. And I love you so much." His whispered words take Andy by surprise…not the sentiment so much, but the fact that he's apparently burned her text from earlier in the day into his brain.

She smiles with some goofy shyness and tilts her mouth towards Sam's, stealing anything else he might come out with away from his lips.

Her mouth gets greedier still when his hand skims up to her breasts, those calloused but gentle fingers of his wedge their way under one cup of her bra.

Andy takes a couple of attempts at swallowing when Sam pulls back from the kiss…and gets his mouth on her neck. He speaks against her there, sending a vibration that sparks every end of every nerve that she has. "No idea how the hell I've ever, ever got any work done around you."

Andy pants at the thought of how many times they've wanted one another in situations they really, really shouldn't have –

She figures maybe tonight is one of those, but hey. They did need a break.

She tries to talk back at Sam, tries to tell him they can stop and wait until later. But then she feels his hand scoot all the way from her breast to the elastic of her panties –

And that spells the end to that particular train of thought.

"I. Um. So I got you something else," Andy tells Sam croakily some twenty minutes later, Sam gently re-buttoning her trench and looking into her eyes.

His eyebrows go up as he grins at her. "Seriously, Andy. More than happy with what I already got."

She giggles happily and pinches at his shoulder. "Oh. Okay then. I'll give the bottle of scotch to Oliver than, shall I?"

Sam lets out a loud snort. "Hm. No you won't." He bites at her jaw a little and tickles his way around her waist, catching her there when she goes to jump up. "Don't move yet…"

"Shouldn't we get back to it…so we can get home…?" Andy flaps her hands about in the loose vicinity of the paperwork they're yet to finish.

"In a minute." Sam rolls them a few steps so he can get at a desk drawer. "There's one other thing I want to give you today…"

"Oh, yeah?" Andy smiles with some wide eyes, wondering what on earth could put the icing on her day –

"This is about as corny as I get, McNally…" Sam's voice is neutral, but his eyes are warm. He reaches into the drawer and clenches his fist around something that fits easily into his palm. "Sorry I'm not a wrapping and card kinda guy…"

Andy shakes her head, she loves that Sam doesn't sugarcoat things. She kisses him on the cheek softly. "You have given me more than enough hard evidence already today…"

He takes her hand and transfers the cool object into her palm. When she looks down, a heavy and chunky sterling silver heart shape is shining back up at her.

She giggles and beams back at it, the significance of the item a callback to the evolution of their relationship. It's something that doesn't discard the more painful parts of their history; it serves as a reminder of who they were then…and who they are now.

The keyring is beautiful; solid, sturdy, and bright. The heart isn't perfectly shaped, it's really odd actually. In such a way that makes it almost a chipped diamond, rather than a heart. But it is perfect.

Andy notices it opens in a much similar fashion to the locket that's hanging around her neck (the gift from Sam that holds the picture of them and Boo). She assumes he may have inserted something similar here –

It doesn't though.

And Andy smiles at that too.

Instead it contains two images, one taking up each side. One is a picture of the truck, the other is an exterior shot of their home – the back porch.

A couple of wayward tears streak down Andy's face as she continues to gaze at it.

"I…uh. I got one for me too," Sam tells her quietly. "Was gonna get 'em engraved…but I thought it might be better if we picked some words together. You're better than me at that sort of stuff."

Andy lets out a wet whimper and a shaky smile. She can do nothing much at all except turn and hug Sam tightly and tell him how perfect it all is.

The next few minutes are spent in quietness, the two of them in an embrace that means more than any Valentine's Day ever could. Some soft "I love you's," get whispered into the dark of the office once in a while, none of them are schmoopy or cheesy though –

All of them are just Andy and Sam.

A/N Next up: Not everything can be perfect always, try as hard as Sam and Andy would like it to be.