Starting Over One Last Time Chapter 26, a rookie blue fanfic

The weeks leading up to Christmas flew by, soon it was the week before.

They'd just got out of the shower and were getting dressed when Sam asked about getting a tree. "Do you want a real one or an artificial? Spending Christmas with Sarah, I don't usually bother with decorating."

"Then we don't have to …"

"What'd you mean we don't have to? Yeah, we do."

"If we're not gonna be here, there's no point."

"Yeah, there is. Because we are gonna be here. We're gettin' together with her this weekend. You made plans with your dad yet."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I wanted to talk to you first and things have been so crazy lately …"

Sam walked over to her and put his hands on her waist, Andy rested hers on his arms.

"When do you want to get together with your dad, baby?"

"I was thinkin' maybe Christmas Eve or Boxing Day …"

"Call him."

"You sure?"

Sam kissed her. "Yes."

Andy called her dad and they made plans for Boxing Day.

They spent the week shopping and decorating after work. Sam didn't care what they did, as long as they were together.

Thursday night Andy wrapped the gifts they were taking to St. Catharines.

Friday morning Sam loaded everything in the truck so they could leave right after shift.

Sam left her at the girls' locker room with a kiss and the promise to see her once she'd changed. He was waiting when she stepped into the hall. He pushed away from the wall and reached for her hand.

Hand in hand, they walked into parade.

Sam went straight for his seat at the back. Andy's fellow rookies weren't surprised when she didn't sit at the table with them, but followed Sam to the back. He sat on the table and pulled her into his legs, his arms around her.

They were pleasantly surprised during assignments when Frank put Nick on the desk with Gail and said she was with the Ds. They hadn't spent a day together since Frank had partnered her with Nick.

The day passed fairly quickly, if not smoothly. Andy came out of the locker room to see Sam and Nick talking. Sam saw her and held out his hand, she took it and let him pull her to his side.

"Hear you're going away for the weekend?"

"Think you can get along without me for a couple of days?" she teased.

"Not sure how, but I think I can manage," he laughed.

Sam shook his head, they almost sounded like him and Sarah!

"You two keep it up, people are gonna start to think either McNally left me,"

"Never happen," Andy laughed softly.

"Or, wonder if you're siblings."

Andy looked at Nick. "He's as close as I wanna get to one, thank you."

"Collins, I'm not sure if that was a compliment or not!"

"There are some things, Sam, I don't need to know … the answer to that being one of them! You guys better hit the road so you don't get stuck in traffic."

"Collins, it's Toronto, there's always traffic! But he's right baby, we should head out."

"I'm ready."

"Then let's go."

"Enjoy the weekend guys, see ya Monday."

Traffic on the Q.E.W. was bumper-to-bumper so instead of an hour and a half, it took almost twice that before Sam finally pulled the truck into Sarah's driveway.

He barely had the truck in park and shut off before Sarah was out the door. They got out of the truck and Sam gave his sister a hug.

"Hey Sis."

"Hey Sammy … how was the drive?"

"Q.E … Friday … Enough said."

Sarah laughed. "That bad?"

"We left the station 3 hours ago …"

"Ouch."

"Yeah. Please tell me there's a beer in the fridge with my name on it."

Sarah laughed again. "There might be."

Sam took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders trying to release some of the tension - Christ he hated traffic! - as he grabbed their bags out of the back.

Andy came up beside him and put her hand on his back. "You ok?"

"Nothin' a kiss from you and a beer can't cure."

Andy laughed as he bent his head to kiss her.

"Uh, Sammy, my neighbors do not need to see my little brother, the cop, making out with his girlfriend in my driveway ..."

Sam sighed and pulled away from Andy. Kissing her cheek he whispered, "We'll finish this later." Andy smiled as he took her hand and led her into the house.

Sam dropped their bags at the door and headed straight for the kitchen - the fridge, more specifically.

Sarah was already there and handed them each an opened bottle. Sam saluted her with the bottle before taking a drink.

"Geez, Sammy, was the traffic that bad or just a shitty day in general?"

Sam nodded at Andy. "There's the reason today was bearable."

"Huh? I didn't think you guys rode together anymore."

"We don't … We didn't. Frank assigned her to the Ds office today."

"Why?"

"Knowing Frank, because we have the weekend off and he figured I'd be nicer to her than any of the others."

Sarah laughed. "They can't still be afraid of you. You're not the same since Andy."

"Is that good or bad, Sis?"

Sarah laughed again. "All good … unless you're trying to intimidate someone, then I'm not sure you've still got it."

"Believe me, Sarah, he's still got a pretty good bark while wearing the shield."

"Ah, but how's his bite, Andy?"

"Woman, do not answer that!"

Sarah couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry, Sammy, I couldn't resist."

"Payback is a bitch, Sis, payback is a bitch …"

They finished their beer, Sam grabbed Andy's hand and headed for their bags.

"We're gonna grab a shower, Sis."

"Ok. No problem. Need anything?"

"Yeah. Her. A shower. A bed and 12 hours of sleep."

Sarah laughed. "Do you want to eat or just crash?"

Sam looked at Andy, knowing she was as exhausted as he was. "Up to you."

Andy was leaning against Sam, now that they'd had a chance to relax for a few minutes, the day was catching up to her.

"Don't take this personally, Sarah, please, but all I wanna do is grab a shower and crash."

"It's ok. We've got all weekend to catch up … after you guys come back to the land of the living."

It took Sam longer to dry Andy's hair than the actual shower itself. Crawling into bed they were both out cold by the time Andy's head was on his chest and their arms around each other.

Sam woke up to the sound of the door opening, he turned his head to see Sarah coming in, coffee in hand. "There's no rush. You guys take your time. I just figured you'd want a coffee before coming down to face a certain someone …"

Sam laughed softly. "Thanks. She's up?"

"Has been for awhile. It hasn't been easy keeping her outta here once she found out you were here."

"Thanks. What time is it?"

"Not time to worry about it if you're still tired, Sammy. Go back to sleep." Sam was asleep by the time Sarah closed the door.

Andy woke up to find Sam watching her.

"Hi."

Andy was still a little out of it as she looked around. "Sam?"

"Yeah baby?"

"Where are we?"

Sam laughed softly. "Sarah's."

"Right. Sorry."

"Don't be. As exhausted as we were last night, if I didn't recognize it, I woulda wondered the same thing."

"As much as I love you and wish we had more days together, yesterday was not fun, babe!"

"I know. Like I told Sarah last night, you were the reason yesterday was bearable. Maybe I shoulda booked us the entire 2 weeks instead of just this weekend, Christmas and New Years."

"We'd go crazy and you know it."

They got up, showered, dressed and Sam was drying her hair before they finished their conversation.

"Just be prepared to spend the next couple of weeks with the Ds because I am not going through the craziness of Christmas/New Years without you! Speaking of being prepared, you need to prepare yourself for Sami."

"Sami?"

"Yeah, Sarah's little girl, Samantha. She's 5 …"

"And Uncle Sammy's pride and joy …"

Sam laughed. "How'd ya guess?"

Andy stood up and reached for Sam's hand. "Let's get this introduction over with."

"You sound nervous?"

"You would be too if you were meeting a 5 year old who's had your attention all to herself her entire life …"

Sam put his arms around her. "She'll love you … not as much as I do, but she will."

They walked downstairs. Sam could hear Sarah in the living room. Walking to the door, Sam caught Sarah's attention and motioned for her to keep quiet. Sam snuck up on the little girl lifting her up from behind, he kissed her cheek, "BOO!"

The little girl in his arms squealed and wiggled around so she could hug him, "Uncle Sammy!"

Sam laughed. "Hiya Princess."

Andy smiled at the little girl's reaction, it was obvious she worshipped him.

"How's my Princess?"

"Happy."

"Oh yeah? What's got you so happy?"

"You."

"Me?" Sam winked at Andy, "Why do I make you happy?"

"You're here!" She practically bounced in his arms.

Sam laughed as he hugged her. "I missed you too, Princess."

Sam held out his hand for Andy. "I got somebody I want you to meet."

"Who?"

Andy walked up to Sam and put her arm around his waist, he shifted the child in his arms to one side so he could put his arm around Andy.

She looked at Andy. "Who're you?"

Sam laughed. "Princess, this who I want you to meet. Can you say hi to Andy?"

"Hi, Andy."

"Baby, this little monkey is my niece Samantha …"

"I'm not a monkey! I'm your princess … and I only get called Samantha when I'm bad. My name is Sami … just like you!"

Sam laughed as he kissed his niece's forehead.

"It's nice to meet you, Sami."

"Uncle Sammy, why's she here? Who is she?"

Sam suddenly understood why Andy had been nervous. He felt like he was navigating a minefield. He sat down with Sami in his lap, Andy sat on the arm of the chair.

"She's here because Mommy and I wanted her here." Sam looked at Andy and smiled before turning back to the little girl in his lap. "She's the most important person in Uncle Sammy's life, Princess."

"But I thought I was!" she cried

Sam hugged her. "Sami, look at me."

The little girl who adored him and who had him wrapped around her finger since the moment she was born, did as he asked. "You will always be my princess, Samantha, Andy being part of my life will never change that, but Andy, my feelings for Andy are different. She's Uncle Sammy's partner at work, but more than that, I love her."

"Like Mommy and Daddy?"

"Yeah, Princess, like Mommy and Daddy."

Sami looked from Sam to Andy and back before she asked in a tear-filled voice, "Can I call her Aunt Andy?"

Neither Sam, Andy or Sarah had expected that.

"Why don't we ask Andy, Princess? What'd ya say, baby?"

Andy swallowed past the lump in her throat, she hadn't expected to be accepted so easily. It was proof of the level of trust and adoration she had for her uncle. Andy slipped off the arm of the chair to kneel in front of the little girl in Sam's lap.

Smiling Andy said, "I don't know about Uncle Sammy, but I'd like that."

Sami looked at her namesake. Sam nodded and the little girl smiled and launched herself into Andy's arms.

After coffee Sam offered to take Sami outside for awhile to get her out of Sarah's hair. Sarah smiled. "Thanks Sammy, she's not much help in the kitchen."

Sam laughed. "No problem. We'll see ya later."

Sam walked into the living room to find Sami curled up in Andy's lap as she read to her. Sam stood their smiling as he watched them for a few minutes before he said, "Hey what'd ya say, we go outside and play for awhile?"

"Can Aunt Andy come too?"

Sam lifted her up and held out his hand to help Andy.

"Of course she is, Princess." Sam put his arm around Andy, "Uncle Sammy doesn't go many places without her."

Sami looked at Andy who nodded.

"Ok."

"Come on, Princess, let's get you all bundled up."

"But, Uncle Sammy …"

"No buts, it's cold outside."

Sam looked at Andy. "She's taking after you already."

Andy laughed. "We're not related, Sam, she can't take after me."

"Wanna bet?" Sam laughed.

They no sooner got outside then they decided to find something else to do - something indoors where it was warmer.

Opening the door, Sam called to Sarah to see if there was any place she took Sami to play.

"Nope, sorry, never even thought of the season when you asked to take her out to play. But she's not gonna care where you are or what you're doing as long as she's with you, you know that."

Sam closed the door and thought for a minute.

"What's the plan now?" Andy asked.

Putting his arms around her, Sam hugged her before turning to Sami.

"What'd ya say, Princess, how about a movie date with Uncle Sammy and Aunt Andy?"

Their pint-sized charge jumped up and down in the snow as she said, "YAY!"

"So what're we gonna watch?" Andy asked as she got Sami out of her boots and coat a few minutes later.

"Tangled! Tangled! Tangled! Please Uncle Sammy?"

Sam laughed. "Think she wants to watch Tangled?"

"I don't know babe, might have to ask her again, just to be sure …"

"Noooooooooooooooooo."

Both Sam and Andy laughed.

Andy sat on the couch with Sami in her lap as Sam put the movie in the DVD player before joining them on the couch. He put his arm around Andy and pulled her next to him, she rested her head on his shoulder. Sam laughed as Sami made herself comfortable, stretching out so her head was in his lap and her feet were in Andy's.

Halfway through the movie Sami fell asleep so Sam turned the movie off. Andy lifted her head so Sam could get up. He picked Sami up and carried her to bed.

Andy leaned against the doorframe and watched Sam with his niece. He was going to make one helluva dad one day. The thought surprised her. Thanks to her messed up childhood, having a family wasn't something she thought a lot about … at least she didn't until Sam. Sam made her feel like she could be the kind of mother she didn't have. Said a lot considering he and Sarah didn't have an ideal childhood either.

Sam tucked Sami in and kissed her forehead, silently thanking her for the greatest gift she could have given him - he knew Andy questioned the kind of mother she'd be, afraid she'd repeat her mother's mistakes. But from what he'd seen with Sami in just a couple hours, she had nothing to be afraid of. When the time came she was going to be a great mom.

Not that they needed to worry about that for awhile. They were happy with the here and now.

They were sitting in the living room an hour later, catching up when a sleepy Sami walked in. No surprise, she walked straight to Sam. Sam automatically picked her up and she curled up in his lap. "Hiya Princess," he said softly kissing her cheek.

"I swear when it comes to you, that kid has a sixth sense, little brother," Sarah commented as they sat down to what was the Swarek sibling Christmas dinner since they wouldn't be together on Christmas.

After supper Andy helped clean up. Things were good between her and Sarah until Sami's bedtime. No surprise, she wanted Sam to tuck her in. She hugged her mom and dad before allowing Sam to carry her upstairs. They thought Sam was coming back downstairs when he shouted at Andy. "Hey baby, come upstairs a minute?"

"Why?"

"Sami wants you to help tuck her in."

Andy got up and left the room.

Sarah couldn't believe it. Not only did she not get any one-on-one with her brother because he wouldn't let Andy out of his sight or his reach, now her daughter had to be tucked in by her!

Sam and Andy came back downstairs, with Sami in bed, when Sam sat down on the couch he pulled Andy into his lap.

"Uh, Sammy, do you mind not making out with your girlfriend on my couch? I mean your niece is upstairs!"

"Uh, Sis, where'd that come from?"

"Seriously, Sammy? Are you really gonna sit there and act like it's no big deal that you're making out with your girlfriend on my couch?"

"Ok, that's twice within 5 minutes you've accused me of that when all she's doing is sitting in my lap! Now, what the fuck has gotten into you?!"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that we haven't spent any time together because you're too busy with her …" Sarah pointed at Andy. "Or the fact that my daughter had to have her tuck her in, while I got a quick hug in my own living room?!"

Andy jumped off Sam's lap and ran from the room, the next thing they heard was the door closing.

"Nice, Sis, real nice." Sam got up and grabbing his jacket went out to find Andy. He found her by the truck without her jacket. Shrugging out of his, he put it around her and took her in his arms.

"What the hell just happened, Sam?"

"I don't know, baby."

They stood there for a few minutes before Andy realized that Sam was outside without a jacket because he'd given it to her.

"Babe, you should go back inside."

"Not without you, I'm not."

"Sam …"

"Not up for debate, woman. Either we go in together or I go grab our gear and we head home tonight."

"Sam, I can't go back in there. I don't know what I did, but I obvious did something to piss her off."

Sam reached into his jacket pocket for his keys, unlocking the truck he opened the passenger door. "Get in."

"What?"

Instead of repeating himself, Sam lifted her into the truck and closed the door. Walking back into the house, Sam kicked his shoes off before heading upstairs. He threw his stuff together before getting Andy's. He took one final look to make sure he had everything before walking out of his sister's spare room and down the stairs.

The sound of something hitting the floor caught Sarah's attention. She walked into the hallway to see Sam putting on his shoes and getting Andy's jacket, their bags were by the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

"What? Why?"

"You really need to ask, Sarah? She won't come back inside and I'm not stayin' without her, so, we're gone," and Sam opened the door.

Before she had time to register what was happening, Sam had their bags in the truck and was out the driveway.

They were on the Q.E.W. headed out of St. Catharines back to Toronto. Sam was so pissed at Sarah he could barely see straight. Andy hadn't said a word since they'd left. Reaching for her hand, he glanced over. She was sittin' there staring out the window. Sam tugged on her hand so she'd look at him. When she did, there were tears running down her cheeks. He couldn't say anything, he didn't want to take his anger at Sarah out on her, so he did the only thing he could - he hit the play button on what had become a very familiar song, sung by Hunter Hayes, it was the song that had played that night at the station …

When you try not to look at me
Scared that I'll see you hurting
You're not hiding anything, no
And frankly it's got me worried
Nobody knows you better than I do
I keep my promises, I'm fighting for you

You're not alone
I'll listen till your tears give out
You're safe and sound, I swear that I won't let you down
What's hurting you I, I feel it too
I mean it when I say
When you cry, I cry with you, with you

I'm not going any place
I just hate to see you like this
No, I can't make it go away
Oh, but keeping it inside won't fix it
I can't give you every answer that you need
But I wanna hear everything you wanna tell me

You need love tough enough to count on
So here I am

Traffic on the Q.E was non-existent surprisingly and Sam was grateful there were no O.P.P's or Regional's on the road with a gun, because they woulda clocked him going well over the posted 100km/hr limit, but he wanted away from St. Catharines and his sister as fast as possible.

Andy unbuckled her belt and slid next to Sam without a word. Sam hit the 'repeat' button before putting his arm around her, they listened to 'Cry With You' the rest of the way home while Andy cried.

Andy finally cried herself to sleep just before Sam pulled up at home. He put the bags in the house before carrying Andy inside. He was still entirely too pissed to sleep and had every intention of going back downstairs after he got Andy undressed and in bed … until she grabbed his hand. "Stay."

Shit!

Sam got undressed and crawled in bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her.

"I'm sorry."

"For what, baby?"

"Coming between you and Sarah. I never meant to."

"You didn't. You haven't. You won't."

"But Sarah …"

"But nothin', Andy. I love you. My sister knows that. Now go back to sleep."

"I can't."

Sam sighed. "How many times you gonna make me play 'Cry With You', tonight, woman?"

"Until it doesn't hurt to think …"

Sam kissed her temple. "Don't think, baby, sleep."

He played the song one more time, only this time, he sang with it.

Andy fell asleep to the sound of Sam's voice singing the song he played every time she cried since they'd heard it that night.