A/N: Hope y'all are still enjoyin' the ride ...
He'd been home for a week when Andy arranged for Oliver, Steve and Nick to come by for a poker night ... alcohol free since Sam was on meds. Celery, Traci and Gail all decided to keep Andy company. They teased Gail until she gave in and invited Holly over. The girls watched movies in the living room while the guys played in the kitchen. Every once in awhile Andy would call into the kitchen asking about the game or Sam would call into the living room asking if the girls were behaving and it would erupt in a fit of giggles causing the guys to look at each other and wonder.
Three weeks. Three weeks since he'd been released from the hospital and Sam was starting to get cabin fever.
Andy called Oliver and arranged for him to get Sam out of the house for a few hours.
Oliver was stunned when Sam gave him an address and they pulled up in front of a jewelers.
"Sammy, a simple 'thank you' woulda been enough," he teased.
"Say one word about this to Andy ..."
Oliver's jaw dropped. When he realized why Sam was there he couldn't've stopped the smile if his life depended on it.
If he thought he'd walk in, see a ring that screamed her name and walk out, Sam was badly mistaken. None of the rings were Andy. With more than a little help from a sales consultant Sam finally found the perfect ring. It was a custom setting so he wasn't walking out with it, but that was ok, it was worth the wait.
Andy expected Oliver to have Sam back well over an hour before the door finally opened. Not hearing from either of them she had started to panic thinking something had happened.
The last thing the guys expected when they walked through the door was to be greeted with, "It's about damn time! Where were you?"
"Out," earned Oliver a smack from Celery who came over when Andy called asking if she'd heard from Oliver.
"Hey!" Oliver grumbled as he rubbed his now stinging flesh. "I did what you asked, I got him outta the house for awhile."
"I asked you to get him outta the house, not kidnap him, Oliver!"
Sam wrapped both arms around her, she stiffened slightly, he pulled her back against him and whispered, "I'm right here, nothing happened."
"Let's go, Dumbo," Celery said as she gave Oliver a gentle shove in the direction of the door. She looked at Andy and smiled as she said, "Call me." They went from coattail friends to very close in their shared fear and worry for the men in their lives.
His hands on Andy's hips, Sam turned her towards the living room. The door had barely clicked shut before they were on the couch with his arms around her.
"I'd say I'm sorry but I'm not."
Sam kissed her temple. "I know."
Six weeks after he was released from the hospital Sam called Sarah and asked if she was up for company.
When Sarah had Sam alone for a few minutes she commented, "She's good for you."
Sam flashed a full dimpled smile. "Why's that?"
Sarah pointed at his face. "That. Mega watt smiles are not somethin' we're used to seeing on Sam Swarek."
Sam laughed, something he didn't do much because it still hurt. "Yeah, well, you might wanna get used to it."
"Keepin' her around?"
"For the rest of my life if she'll let me."
Sarah stared at her brother, her mouth open wide. "Sammy? Are you serious?"
"I picked the ring out a few weeks ago, just waiting for the call that says it's ready. I knew before I got shot I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, Kevin Ford reminded me I don't know how long that is ..."
"Sammy ..."
Sam smiled but ended the conversation when he heard Andy.
They spent the weekend with the girls getting to know each other and Sarah telling Andy stories about a young Sam.
"This is why I didn't introduce you guys sooner," Sam complained with a grin.
"Aw, c'mon Sammy, you know I love you."
"Yeah, it's obvious by the embarrassing stories you're tellin'."
"They're the ones she needs to hear."
Sam rolled his eyes while Andy laughed and curled into him more. Kissing his cheek she asked, "You ok?"
Sam smiled as he kissed her temple as she laid her head on his shoulder. "Stop worryin', I'm ..."
The ringing of his phone cut off the rest of what he would have said.
"Hey Frank."
Andy sat up and looked at Sam. He winked at her, his way of saying everything was ok.
Sarah tried to distract her, it didn't work. Sam rubbed his hand up her back to calm her.
"You get the weekly doctor's report."
Andy couldn't hear Frank's side of the conversation.
Sam laughed at something Frank said and hissed in a breath. "I'm good, man. The pain's not bad unless I over do it."
Sam smiled as he said, "I'm doin' my best to stay outta the dog house, Frank."
Andy knew Sam would be more honest with Frank if he wasn't afraid to upset her so she got up and went inside. A few minutes later she came back with a bottle of water and Sam's meds.
Hanging up he smiled. "Stop worryin', McNally."
"You're recovering from a bullet to the chest, I'm allowed to worry." Sam shook his head as he kissed her. "You gonna be like this for the rest of our lives?" he teased.
"Got a problem with that?"
Sam kissed her as he whispered, "Nope."
"Good answer, Swarek."
Sarah laughed softly, both Sam and Andy looked at her. "Never thought I'd see the day a girl had my brother's number."
Sam rolled his eyes.
"What'd Frank say?"
"You listen better than that," Sam teased.
"Little brother, she has a right to know ..."
"Know what?" Andy asked nervously.
"My appointment with the Dept. shrink ... I gotta see her Monday afternoon."
"Um, ok."
Sam pulled her into his lap. Running his hand up and down her back he answered the unasked question. "They just wanna know where my head is after the shooting. It'll tell Frank how long before we're back after I'm fully recovered."
Andy tensed slightly but relaxed with Sam's last comment.
"Relax, McNally, I know I'm not ready to go back yet. I can't chase you, how'm I gonna chase a bad guy?"
"Sam!" Andy hid her flaming cheeks in his chest as Sarah laughed.
Sam got another call before they left, this one he kept from Andy.
By the time they headed back to Toronto Sam was happy to see a relationship had begun to form between Andy and Sarah.
Sam was given the go ahead by the doctor before she asked to speak to Andy.
Andy wasn't sure why Sam's doctor wanted to talk to her until she asked how she was dealing with seeing Sam get shot. Andy was given the go ahead to return when Sam was cleared for duty.
"You clearin' my girlfriend for patrol or babysittin' duty, Doc.?" Andy gasped, shocked that Sam would say that.
The doctor laughed. "Both?"
The dimples appeared as Sam smiled at Andy. "If I gotta have one I'd rather it be her." Andy grinned. "That's because no one else will put up with him."
Sam rolled his eyes. "Smart ass."
"Learned from the best."
"We done, Doc.?"
The doctor laughed. "Go on, get outta my office."
Hand in hand they left the office.
Sam called Oliver and made plans for lunch the next day.
"You buyin'?"
Sam laughed. "Lunch with you? I'd go hungry if I didn't."
Oliver laughed and told him what time he'd pick him up the next day.
After lunch Sam had Oliver swing by the jewelers. Something he said stood out to her and Sarah suggested a song. Sam Google'd the lyrics and downloaded it. Oliver called Celery and had her get Andy out of the house so Sam could do something special for her.
Andy opened the door and was surprised when she saw the flameless candles (they went flameless after a power outage that saw a lot of homes and lives lost due to fires started by candles) and a trail of petals on the floor along with a note that said Follow me. Smiling, she followed them into the living room expecting to find Sam. What she found was their living room bathed in 'candlelight' and bouquets of red and white calla lilies were scattered everywhere.
There was a note on the coffee table. She laughed when she read Sit down. Read. Then listen ...
Sitting down on the couch she smiled as she read -
McNally,
A collection of notes from you while we were apart brought us back together. Hopefully it just takes one from me to keep us together ...
then gasped when she heard -
There's no guarantee that we'll see tomorrow
Heaven only knows how long we have
So there's no way I'll ever for one second let you wonder
Just how long my love for you will last
'Til my last breath, 'til I'm called on high
'Til the angels come and I see the light
To the very end, 'til I give in
To the last beat of my heart
No I can't swear that I'll be here for the rest of your life
But I swear I'll love you for the rest of mine
'Til my last breath, 'til I'm called on high
'Til the angels come and I see the light
To the very end, 'til I give in
To the last beat of my heart
No I can't swear that I'll be here for the rest of your life
But I swear I'll love you for the rest of mine
No I can't swear that I'll be here for the rest of your life
But I swear I'll love you for the rest of mine
Andy was speechless. She turned to see Sam leaning against the wall in a dress shirt and jeans. Looking down at the outfit she was wearing she couldn't help but wonder if her "sudden" shopping trip with Celery had actually been planned.
Sam was a little speechless. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on even when she was in pajama pants and a tank top or one of his T-shirts, but the emerald green tank with antique lace overlay and black skinny jeans, just ...
"You're beautiful," he whispered as he walked over to drop a feather light kiss on her lips.
"Sam, it's beautiful," Andy whispered.
Sam sat on the couch and pulled her onto his lap. Andy wrapped her arms around his neck. "You look ..." she trailed off and Sam laughed softly before he kissed her again.
Leaning his forehead against hers Sam whispered, "For the rest of my life and every day forever after, I'll love you and only you ... Andy McNally, will you marry me?"
A/N: The song is called The Rest of Mine by Trace Adkins