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Chapter 29- The Little Things.

It was still dark the next morning when Sam heard movement downstairs inside the house. It wasn't the creepy quiet movements of an intruder, it was the sounds of someone making themselves at home.

Sarah was here, she'd probably used her spare key to get in and was waiting for news on Lars.

Sam slid out of bed, leaving Andy to sleep as he pulled the bedroom door closed behind him and slipped downstairs.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you" Sarah said sipping on coffee as Sam made it into the kitchen.

"You didn't" He replied as he poured himself a cup. She should know by now that he didn't sleep a lot.

Sam saw the time at five-thirty and arched an eyebrow in his sisters direction.

He had called her last night and told her that Lars was okay, and out of police custody- instead remanded to his and that he would be down here in the morning. She obviously couldn't wait to see for herself that he was okay, so here she was.

Sam had not told Sarah that he had made a deal with the ADA and that Lars was going to be starting at the academy, he left that up to the kid but judging by Sarah's worried face- they hadn't spoken about it yet.

"What time is he supposed to be here?".

"Sarah, it's early. I told him by nine, but they've got the kid to think about".

"They're all coming?". That seemed to surprise Sarah.

"Yup, couldn't make him give up on them could I". It was stated, a simple fact.

"You're going soft Sammy" Sarah giggled to which Sam growled.

"How's Andy?".

That made Sam smile. They had yet to tell Sarah, but figured it was time for some payback "Ask her when she gets up".

"Crap, sorry. I didn't know she was here".

Sarah knew that Andy still had her own condo and that sleeping arrangements were split between the two homes, she just didn't think that far down the line before letting herself in with her spare keys.

"And that is something you should get used too" Sam said pouring Andy a cup of coffee and leaving Sarah in the kitchen with her mouth open because he didn't reply to her questioning look.

Sam set Andy's coffee down and peppered kisses all over her face to wake her up. She had a shift this morning so he needed to run her to the barn and then come back home and start sorting it out for Lars.

Andy smiled, but kept her eyes closed, she really did like waking up like this in the mornings.

"Sarah's here" Sam said as he gave her one last good morning kiss before leaving her to get up.

Andy drank her coffee and jumped in the shower before heading downstairs.

Sam was making breakfast while Sarah sat at the kitchen island watching him.

"Andy" Sarah said jumping up when Andy came into view. Sarah gave her a giant hug, it had been weeks since she had last seen Sam and Andy.

Sarah stepped out of Andy's embrace, her eyes going from Andy to Sam and the back again.

She reached out and tugged Andy's hand up her eyes roaming over the delicate ring as she let out a shrilled giggle and hugged Andy again.

When she pulled away, she let go of Andy and bounded over to Sam. She slapped him on the back of the head leaving Sam to still stand smiling at her. "Why didn't you tell me?".

"We were kind of busy, and I think Andy wanted to tell you in person" Sam said folding his arms across his chest.

"Wow". Sarah said looking between them again.

"You actually grew a pair, but she said yes".

Sarah knew that Andy had serious reservations when it came to letting Sam in, but she had been witness to Andy's defense slipping over recent months.

Sarah moved back to Andy before giving her another hug and whispering a soft "Welcome to the family" in her ear.

Sam took Andy to the barn and walked her in.

Sarah was at home so there was someone there if Lars arrived.

He had really wanted to stay with Andy this morning because someone was bound to notice her ring and then she would be facing it alone, so he decided to stay until after parade and then leave.

He still needed to clear his move to Guns and Gangs with Frank, but that could wait until tomorrow.

"How was your weekend?" Traci asked Andy as she opened her locker.

"It was good" Andy said trying to hide her blush as she stuck her head in behind her open locker door.

"Andy?".

"Yup?" Andy's head reappeared from behind the obstructing metal door when Traci celled her name.

"What aren't you telling me?".

"Nothing" Andy loved teasing Traci. She was such a willing participant that just could refrain from doing it.

"Andy!".

"Really, it's nothing". Andy just couldn't keep the smile locked away.

"Oh wow" Traci said as she looked over at Andy once her head reappeared for the third time.

"He asked you didn't he?".

"You knew?".

"No, but I can see it all over your face".

Traci stepped closer and Andy held out her hand showing Traci her ring. Traci was smart, but she had an inconceivable way of reading between the lines too. Andy had told her that she thought she would make a great detective, but Traci was always doubting herself.

"It's beautiful, so you" Traci exclaimed when she saw the ring.

"Got a few?" Sam asked when he saw Jerry coming down the hall while he waited for Andy to get changed into her uniform.

"For you always Buddy".

"Still planning on asking Nash to move in?" Sam cut straight to the point, Jerry smiling as he got a far away look. He always did that when it came to Nash.

Jerry was divorced, Sam having stood by and watched that marriage crumble and Jerry fall apart until he hit rock bottom.

But since Nash's arrival Jerry had changed. He'd become the old Jerry, the one that smile everyday.

Jerry had mentioned that he was thinking about asking Nash to move in last week, so when Sam saw him come down the hallway his mind came up with a solution.

"Yeah, I think I am"

Sam had been to Nash's and it was a small two bedroom. Jerry's was a little bigger, but still a two bedroom.

Nash's mother stayed with her, so they would need a three bedroom at least, and that was where Sam came into play.

"Want to rent my house?".

Jerry was looking at him funny, like he had just said the most unexpected thing ever.

"Why where are you going?"

"Um... McNally and I are moving, I wanted to sell but she doesn't like the idea. I've got three bedrooms".

Jerry slapped Sam on the back and congratulated him for upping his game. "Just moving?".

Sam shrugged, he wanted to tell Jerry but figured that his face would be worth waiting for the announcement, because there was bound to be one.

"Yuuup".

"Sammy, I dunno if she's even willing to take that step right now. Don't hold it up if you're in a hurry".

"That's the thing, it won't be that soon".

Jerry's face showed his confusion, Sammy and McNally were moving; assuming together, but they weren't in a hurry?

"I've got some renovations to do, and a couple things to sort out so a month, or three?".

"You're gonna wait for three months to move in with McNally?" Jerry had a lot of humor gracing his features right now.

"Something like that" Sam said before leaving Jerry in the hallway to ponder his offer.

Parade started and Sam tried hard to keep his face neutral while he waited for the end of parade and undoubtedly 'The announcement', because it would come.

Or not.

Frank wrapped up parade and dismissed the room, Sam letting his hand find Andy's as she walked out of the room and brushed her hand against his.

The absence of the cold metal between his fingers had him worried as his sturdy stride faltered.

Andy knew that he was going into what she called 'Andy Mode'.

Yup, he totally had moments where he became the unsure Andy she once was.

How he had endured all these months with her like that- she would never understand.

Pulling Sam down the hall Andy stopped when they reached a quiet corner.

She spun to face him and launched herself right into it "I asked Frank not to announce it, it's kind of not us. If I was engaged to someone else it would have been okay to announce at parade, but I didn't want that. And for the record, I'm wearing my ring, right here...". Andy said patting her chest with her free hand. "I just don't want to break it, loose it or have something happen to it".

She let out a long breath, Sam's eyebrow arching up as he let a smirk slip into play.

"It's insured".

That made Andy's face fall.

Expensive things got insured.

"Sam..."

"Hey, we both said that we were only doing this once right?"

She really had no idea that the ring had cost that much, enough to be insured.

"I know, but seriously? I don't need an expensive ring Sam".

That was just so typically Andy.

She wasn't a show and tell kind of girl, sure she like nice things, and nice clothes, but she wasn't flashy and high-maintenance.

That was why he chose their simple date months ago.

"Andy, if there is one thing that has to be the best; it's that. It's only ever going to happen once, so it has to be done right".

That made sense, it really did and she just loved him all the more for it.

"Okay, but don't think that this is over".

Andy stood on her toes and gave Sam a chaste peck on the lips, slipped her hand out of his and went to work.

When Andy got home from shift a warm welcome greeted her when she stepped through the door.

She had told Sam that Traci would drop her off after shift because they had house guests.

Sam had called her and let her know that Lars, Abigail and Alicia had arrived and that they were settled in.

Sarah had left after lunch after spending all morning fussing over the three new occupants in Sam's house.

Dinner was ready and everything neat and tidy when Andy arrived home- something that surprised her.

In honesty she had expected the house to be in some sort of mess.

Andy was formally introduced to Abigail and Alicia, who seemed to have taken a liking to Sam, and then she was ushered upstairs to shower while dinner was finished off.

Andy found Sam in the bedroom waiting for her when she came out of the bathroom, his brows creased as he seemed far away.

"You okay?" Andy asked while she dressed.

"Yeah, fine".

She stopped in front of Sam and had the puppy pout turned on to max while she waited for Sam to fill her in on what had made his mood move to sullen and sunken.

"They've just had a tough time".

Sam finally let it out.

"Well, we'll make it better now. Where did you put all their stuff?"

"That's the thing Andy, there isn't any 'stuff' ".

That kind of broke Andy's heart, and she knew that it was eating away at Sam too; that he hadn't been able to provide for Lars more than he had.

"They gave up everything to repay all the money back, they don't even have a TV set, who doesn't have a TV?".

"Sam, he is so honest, and so humble, it's worth more than any possessions that they can own. I have a huge flatscreen, and most of my furniture- they can keep. I don't really know him, but the fact that he gave up on stuff to look after a child that isn't his is more heart than I've seen in most people I know. You've given them a second new start, don't forget that".

Andy left Sam to collect himself for a few minutes while she went downstairs and asked if she could help with anything.

Sam was really hard on himself sometimes, wished he could change the world and took it personally when he couldn't.

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Jelly Bean Jenna©