Author's Notes: This is my love letter to Chris and Rita, my thank you note to the Silk Gods (namely Stephen J. Cannell) for blessing us with these two characters, and my ode to Mitzi and Rob for devoting five years of their lives to the Sams, the show, and the fandom.

Warning: this story is self-serving and flies off the rails. I wrote this based on what I wanted to see. It's selfish and crazy and probably doesn't make much sense! I added nods to my hometown (BuffaLove!), nods to my mother (a 33-year veteran police officer), and I made the characters do what I wanted them to do and be who I wanted them to be! I'm hoping my love for them shines through. This takes place in December of 2019 (pre-Covid- there's no way I could have written a pandemic into this story). If the ages seem off, keep 2019 in mind- this would be their ages over two years ago. There are a few takeaways from my fanfic Brand New Day, but you don't necessarily have to read that one first.

Rita: "I've been thinking about you and me…"

Chris: "Yeah, that's all I think about is you and me."

(5.10- "Till Death Do Us Part", 1995)

We revisit the Sams in December 2019, as they prepare to retire from the PBPD.

You & Me

Preface: 1996-2019

Rosalie Frances Lorenzo was born in the spring of 1996, named after her great-grandmother Rose, her Godmother Fran, and her beautiful mother, Rita Lee. She was a mini-Rita, had gorgeous green eyes and dark hair, and Chris was smitten by the two loves of his life. Rosie grew into a beautiful woman, with all of the best internal qualities of both parents. At the age of 23, she was now in her second year of medical school, aspiring to become a medical examiner like her Aunt Diana.

Christopher Benjamin arrived two years later, named after his father, grandfather, and Chris and Rita's beloved first Homicide commander. Benji, affectionately nicknamed by his Grandpa Harry, inherited his mother's beautiful green eyes, but he was 100% his father's son in mind and spirit. Determined, headstrong, and hot-headed at times, but had an innate quality to help people and fight for justice. While his Papa Benny and Uncle George wanted him to become a lawyer, Ben had other plans. He wanted his parents' life. He clung to their stories with passion, questioning everything and recording it to memory. At the age of 21, Ben completed a two-year degree in Criminal Justice and was in his final weeks as a cadet in the Palm Beach Police Academy.

After the birth of their two children, life settled into a nice rhythm for the Lorenzos. Chris and Rita delved into their positions as lieutenants, continuing to turn heads with the work they were doing for the Department. Rita loved her Chief of Detectives position and became Harry's protégé. Chris transferred to the Mayor's office soon after Rita's promotion to take a liaison position as Lieutenant of Community Police Initiatives. Fran took care of the kids, and she and Harry delighted in their role as honorary grandparents.

Several surprises happened to the Sams over the years. In a hilarious twist of fate, Benny Lorenzo fell madly in love with Brooke Dupree, marrying her in a lavish beachfront ceremony a year to the day that they met. Chris and Jillian (who just a year earlier were a couple themselves) stood up as the Best Man and Maid of Honor. Chris and Rita were also newly married, and Rita was visibly pregnant. It was a crazy year. While all of this could have been uncomfortable and borderline horrific, the humor wasn't lost on any of them. They all made the best of it. Jillian and Rita had the chance to sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk regarding the circumstances, and a friendship emerged once the old, unnecessary jealousies, were put aside. Life was too short for pettiness. Jillian had a new beau that she brought down for the ceremony, a handsome pediatrician named Patrick O'Brien. They married three years later in a beautiful Boston winter ceremony, and Rosie was the star of the wedding as the cutest Flower Girl for her Aunt Jilly and Uncle Pat. Jillian gave birth to twin boys the following year, Finn and Conor. Benny and Brooke had since passed away, but the couples still made it a point to get together at least once a year so the cousins could all grow up together.

Right around Chris and Rita's fifth wedding anniversary, a surprise occurred that no one saw coming. One day, Fran called Harry at work, shrieking at him to grab a copy of The Daily Beach. Chris and Rita made it a point not to peruse the tabloids after their wedding was announced to the world, but Frannie was obsessed with the latest gossip of Palm Beach and had a subscription. The front page now had an even racier spread: a Florida ex-mob boss and an actress with Palm Beach ties seen wining and dining together out on the town. While there was no mention of her exact connection to Palm Beach in the article, one thing was crystal clear from the pictures: Donnie "Dogs" DiBarto and Anna Alexis were an item. Luckily, only a few close people knew of Rita's friendship with Donnie and that Anna was Chris' mother, but Harry became giddy knowing that he would be able to make his favorite couple squirm with this insane news. Tabloids were full of lies and drama, but if there's one thing Harry knew from experience about this particular publication, its front page covers were spot-on.

Chris and Rita usually met for lunch at the Roach Coach; Harry called Chris and asked him to stop up to say hello. Once he got the duo in his office, he tossed the paper at them and let the sparks fly.

Rita took one look at the photos and stifled laughter. Nothing surprised her anymore. Chris stared at the pictures and was silent for several seconds, simply shaking his head in disbelief. If there could be a worst nightmare situation for Chris, this was the very definition of it. He was a police lieutenant and his mother was dating a mob boss, a man who was at least a decade younger than Anna. Rita reminded Chris that age was just a number, to which Chris exclaimed, "Is that all you are getting out of this?!" Rita continued to giggle, however, she was also worried about the potential fallout. Rita's friendship with Donnie was pretty much a non-issue- the Department looked the other way because of Donnie's help over the years- but the last thing they needed was the press digging into any discoveries. It was time to pay Donnie an unexpected visit. The conversation was as humorous as one would expect it to go.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite police couple. How are the bambinos?"

Rita was nice but curt. "They're good, Donnie. You send them way too many gifts. You got a second to chat?"

"In a minute-since when do we rush fine conversation? Rita, you are looking as lovely as ever. Lorenzo, are you taking care of my delicate flower?"

"Save it, Donnie. You've got some explaining to do." Chris was a time bomb; Rita made him promise to let her steer the conversation.

"Listen, don't be a jabeep. I was just starting to like you. Say hello to King. He's missed you, Rita."

Dutchie had died the previous year, and Donnie was heartbroken. Rita could never give a gift to a mob boss without it looking awful, so she solicited Cotton's help to deliver a new puppy to Donnie's house. Attached to his collar was a King chess piece, a nod to when Donnie was in Rita's protective custody, their long hours spent bonding over the game. She gave King an affectionate cuddle, much to Chris' chagrin. While he never quite understood the rapport between Donnie and his wife, he accepted it long ago. However, this 'Anna' business was too much. How much of his life was Donnie going to infiltrate?

Rita interjected before Chris could speak. "Donnie, we aren't here on business, you aren't in any trouble. We need to chat with you about something… personal."

Donnie grinned, not taking his eyes off of Chris. "Before we talk further, why don't we head out back? That way you could say hello to your mother."

"Son of a bitch."

Rita swiftly inserted herself between both men. "Chris, please. Look, Donnie, you have to know how difficult this is for us."

"Lorenzo, calm down. I swear, I had no idea she was your mother until very recently. Imagine my shock and surprise to discover that my new love is your mother. And Rita, dare I say it's destiny that keeps bringing us together?"

"Not now, Donnie. Did you say that Anna is here?"

Rita looked at Chris when she said this, reading his mind. Anna once again put her needs before her son's. Rita thought the shooting, their marriage, the birth of her grandchildren would change her, but nothing ever did. Now she was putting Donnie before Chris. The saddest part of that tabloid article was that Anna was in Palm Beach, and they had no clue.

"Before we go out back, I want you both to know something. Anna knows nothing about our history, capiscé? My past is just that, my past. You know I haven't been in the game for a few years now, and I'm enjoying retirement. My investments are all on the up-and-up, you can check. As far as your mother, I met her at a charity dinner a few months back when I was in New York on business. I decided to stay there for a while and didn't mention Palm Beach until last month when I was planning to come back for the winter and invited her to join me. That's when she mentioned that her son was the legendary Chris Lorenzo, and here we are. I told her that the two of you helped me with a police matter a few years ago and that's that, just in case it somehow came up that we were acquainted. I'm game with whatever you want me to go along with."

Chris looked between Rita and Donnie and sighed. To be honest, he didn't care about his mother's personal life. What he was more upset about now was that Anna had been in Palm Beach for a few weeks and once again didn't bother with him, Rita, or her grandchildren. Hell, Donnie seemed to be more invested in their lives than Anna. What could he say?

"Donnie, my relationship with my mother is complicated at best. How about you pretend we didn't come here today, and I'll pretend I know nothing about this relationship so I can sleep at night. Deal?"

Donnie nodded in understanding, then grinned and stuck out his hand. "She's a fine lady, Lorenzo. I'll take care of her. You have my word."

Rita couldn't believe what she was seeing when Chris shook his hand in return. They left without a word and pretended they knew nothing about the relationship until Anna casually told them months later. Even more surprising, once the relationship was out in the open, Donnie became instrumental in mending ties between Chris and Anna. They were never a typical mother and son, but Chris allowed her back in, and for the first time in her life she reciprocated and was present. Donnie's life always centered around family and loyalty, and a bit of that finally rubbed off on Anna. Chris had to admit that Donnie became a positive influence in his mother's life. While the two never married, they enjoyed each other's company and were still a couple all these years later. They traveled quite a bit and weren't in Palm Beach often, but they kept up with phone calls, showered the kids with too many gifts, and Anna insisted on funding their education. Rita and Chris felt that public school was the right fit for the kids, but kept the nest egg put away for college and beyond.

Rosie followed in her mother's footsteps and earned a Krane Foundation Scholarship for her undergraduate degree at Florida State University, and Ben decided that an associate degree in Criminal Justice Technology at Palm Beach State College was the right fit for him so he could quickly apply to their Law Enforcement Academy. Chris and Rita were just now dipping into the funds for medical school for Rosie and helped Ben secure his first apartment, a loft close to downtown.

The biggest surprise of all in Chris and Rita's lives came a few weeks after a quick tenth wedding anniversary trip to Sanibel: Rita started feeling sick. She thought she was having another endometriosis flare-up and made an appointment with her doctor. Shock was an understatement when the pregnancy test came back positive. Rita immediately worried because of her age, and the timing couldn't have been worse- Harry was retiring, and Rita was waiting to hear if she would be his replacement. Chris, of course, was thrilled by life's little surprise, and just as he predicted, everything turned out beautifully. Rita was named Captain of the Homicide Division that spring, Chris was promoted to a captain's position that summer, and in the fall of 2006, their third child came into the world.

It was Chris that insisted on naming their baby Sam. His reasoning was perfect: Sam symbolized their relationship from the beginning, so it should be the name that completed their family. Rita couldn't argue with that logic, and one look at their spunky, loud, sweet daughter, and she gladly passed their beloved nickname onto their precious surprise. Rita suggested Alexis as her middle name as a nod to Chris' mom, which at first he was firmly against but eventually agreed. In a humorous turn of fate, Sam looked like the spitting image of Anna. In a family of brunettes, Sam's blonde hair and teal eyes brought them looks wherever they went.

Rita and Chris were not blessed with a family growing up, so it was a priority to immerse their children in a life neither one could have ever imagined. Aside from Benny and Anna, every single one of their family members was inherited from their vast friendships over the years; George, Diana, David, Jillian, Pat, Hutch, Hudson, plus all of their children, they built a family they had only dreamed of. Their kids always knew love and always had people to count on.

They also had a colorful cast of supporting characters that completed their family in their own, unique ways. There was Donnie, of course, who became "Uncle Donnie" to the kids even before he and Anna were a couple. The way Rita saw it, even though Donnie "played for the other team", there was a longstanding bond between them that endured over the years. Donnie would always make sure that the Lorenzo family was safe. With everything they went through in the early years of their partnership, this brought Rita a sense of comfort that Chris couldn't argue with.

Likewise, as wary as Rita was about Cotton Dunn in those early days, there was something magically charismatic about him when he dared to be on the straight and narrow. As he grew older, Chris was able to push him into some honest work, mentoring in some of the community outreach programs he created. Cotton's vast knowledge and photographic memory were instrumental, and he became a trusted friend. (With Chris checking up on him now and then, of course.) Cotton, also enamored by the Lorenzo children, would routinely make a fool of himself doing cartoon impressions and magic tricks to entertain them. This led Cotton to the most honest and lucrative gig of his lifetime, as a children's party planner and entertainer. If there was one thing the 'Royal Palms' loved to do, it was spoiling their children, and Cotton became a self-made millionaire within a decade.

Aside from their favorite felons becoming family over the years, Several people they met along the way became lifelong friends and acquaintances. Solange took their annual family Christmas photo. Karen Krane joined them for Thanksgiving dinner every year until her passing. Melissa Cassidy became a therapist for Night Moves. Harry and Fran's godson, Matthew, moved to Palm Beach and was their dog's veterinarian. These were just some of the many notable ways their careers brought them unexpected and welcomed friendships.

Sam was a basketball phenom, much to Chris' delight, an 8th grader playing on the Palm Beach High School varsity team and a local travel league. While Rosie and Ben excelled in tennis and baseball respectively in their high school days, their talents were nowhere near the status of their kid sister. Sam was already 5' 9" and a powerhouse on the court, to the point where Chris and Rita had some major decisions to make concerning her future. When college scouts approached Chris and Rita in the stands with scholarship offers, they realized they may need to do more to shape Sam's education and athletic prowess.

This is what prompted Chris and Rita's decision to retire. With Sam entering high school in the fall, they were bombarded by private school scholarships and tryout opportunities across the nation. This would require at least one of them to be with her on this path. At first, they considered taking a leave of absence until she settled somewhere, but the chances were great that she would not be going to school in Palm Beach. It was hard enough letting go of Rosie and Ben; they couldn't ship their soon-to-be 14-year-old to another state by herself. Even if Sam ultimately chose to stay in Palm Beach, this opportunity made Chris and Rita realize that life was flying by. Their last baby was growing up and they wanted to enjoy the time. Chris and Rita decided years ago that they would retire together, and with over 30 years on the job, they seemed ready to move on. The irony wasn't lost on any of them that their retirement was on the heels of Ben's graduation. It was bittersweet to usher in the newest Lorenzo to carry on the family legacy and not be on the job with him at the same time. However, life might be a little easier for him at work without his legendary parents by his side.

After a tumultuous first decade on the job, complete with shootings, IA reviews, and near-death experiences, the last 20+ years of their personal and professional lives had been fairly quiet. Life was good.