Hi guys, sorry once again for the delay but with Christmas and Birthdays I feel as if I haven't stopped for weeks! Anyway thanks to everyone for the reviews, follows and welcome to the guests. As always huge thanks to the awesome Jelly Bean Jenna.

Note: - Jerry finally meets Traci's best friend. And Sam finally meets the mysterious Andy McNally.

Disclaimer - I don't own Rookie Blue

Chapter 4

The rest of the service was a blur, standing at the grave side listening to the priest finish off what had been a great service for Traci just the way she would have liked it. Even though the rain still battered down around them, for some strange reason Traci loved the rain so maybe this was her way of saying she was still with them.

As everyone started walking away, Andy stood where she was. The man crouching down in front of her was someone she had heard a lot about but had never actually met him, until now. Traci would tell her how she had met the man of her dreams, the one she wanted to be with for the rest of her life. But most importantly, someone who was great with Leo and took him on as his own. Andy knew today wasn't the best timing to ever meet your best friend's partner but unfortunately the universe just didn't agree;

"She spoke about you all the time" Andy said as she came to stand next to Jerry, who was still crouching down "Every time we were out together or even just talking on the phone, Traci always mentioned you. She loved you with everything she had and she always will" the final part she whispered but she knew Jerry had heard her.

Jerry listened to Andy talk of Traci, someone he had never met actually made him feel just a tiny bit alive all because she was someone that could tell her stories and keep memories forever;

"I always said I'd be there for her and at the time she really needed me...I wasn't" Jerry struggled to get the words out, he would never forgive himself for not being there. That guilt will always be with him, until it's his time to go;

"In her heart, you were there. Today and right now you're here for her and you will always be with her no matter where you go, what you do or who you meet in the future" Andy wasn't sure how she was managing to give out so much support when she was struggling to keep everything together herself but she was doing what her friend would have wanted her to do. Looking at her friend's resting place one final time, she reached down and gave Jerry's shoulder a squeeze before leaving him alone. Holding back the tears and letting out a massive breath, she walked to her car ready to face everyone at the Black Penny.

Low music and quiet voices was all that could be heard in the Black Penny. Family and friends mingling together as they all still came to terms with saying goodbye to a daughter, mother, partner and friend. A candle sat lit on a small single table with a photo of Traci, her huge smiling shining brighter than the candle itself.

Placing a hand on the main door of the Penny, Andy felt her heart batter away inside her chest, stronger than it had all day. It had been ten long months since she had been inside this place; ten months since she had sat with her friend's and ten months since her last night with Traci. Pushing the tears away she made her way inside, the quietness of what was normally a busy and loud pub hit her first. Everyone mingling around together, some with small smiles; others with sad, tearful faces. No-one battered an eyelid or looked in her direction and she walked in. Looking around the room she noticed her friend's sitting at their usual table, only this time there were a couple of extra bodies and one person missing. She also noticed from where she stood that nothing had changed, everything was exactly the same. A child's voice screaming out her name brought her back to reality and everyone to now look in her direction;

"Aunty Andy!" Leo yelled as he came running towards her, arms stretched out for Andy to pick him up. And as soon as he was in front of her that's exactly what she did, never wanting to let go;

"Hi buddy, I've missed you. Let's go sit with Aunty Gail and everyone" she said as Leo clung to her for dear life. As she reached the table everyone was up and welcoming her back;

"We're so glad your back. This is Chloe and Nick the new Rookie's and this is Sam Swarek, he's a Detective" Gail said before she left the table to get Andy a drink;

"Hi and thanks, just a shame I'm not back for long" she said in a voice that came across as not being happy about leaving again;

"What? You're leaving again? You've just came back" Dov hollered a little louder than needed;

"You can't leave again Aunty Andy, you need to stay since my mum isn't here anymore" a tearful Leo begged as he continued to cling to Andy, while sitting on her knee;

"I just need to leave for a bit, just to finish something off and then I'll be back for good. I promise" she said just as Gail placed the beer next to her and took a seat next to Chris. The bunch of friend's fell into comfortable conversations and it wasn't long before Jerry had joined them.

Nearly five hours had passed since the service and Leo had finally fallen asleep curled up on Andy's knee. It had been great being back with her friend's again and making new ones, it was just sad that it had to be under awful circumstances;

"I'll take Leo back to stay with me at my Dad's" Andy said to Jerry who looked like he was ready to just fall over at any second;

"Are you sure? I don't mind taking him home" Jerry said painfully as the word home slipped through his mouth. Andy just nodded and gave him a small smile;

"It's fine, I want to spend as much time with him as I can before I have to leave again. But could someone call me a cab?" She said suddenly remembering that it had been Boyd who had dropped her off earlier in the day;

"I'll drop you off, I'm leaving now anyway" came the voice of Sam Swarek. Oliver at this point nearly choked on his beer, amusing Andy at his sudden state of shock;

"Jeez have you got a temperature, you never offer anyone a lift home unless it's..."

"Yeah see you tomorrow buddy" and with that Sam quickly stood while shutting Oliver up at the same time. As the loyal friend he had always been, he stopped beside Jerry, gave his shoulder a squeeze and nodded to everyone else. A matter of seconds later he was heading for the door;

"I'll take that as a sign that we're going. Night guys" Andy mumbled as she moved Leo, so she could also leave.

Stepping out into the night air a figure standing next to a truck with the back door open was the first thing she noticed; well that and the fact that the rain had finally went off. Placing Leo safely into the back seat, Andy strapped him in before closing the door and jumping onto the passenger's seat;

"Thanks for the lift" she said as she played around with the bottom of her jacket. She wasn't sure why she was feeling slightly nervous but from the moment she let her eyes land on him at the table, there was something that came alive in her stomach. Something she hadn't felt for a very long time;

"No bother at all. You're Tommy McNally's daughter, right?" Sam asked as he pulled out into the streets of Toronto. Andy was a bit taken aback by how he actually guessed who she was, since this was the first time she had ever heard of or even met him;

"Yeah that's right. How did you guess and do you know my Dad?" she asked not hiding her surprise at all. Sam however just laughed slightly;

"From the way Oliver was talking to you back at the Penny I just put two and two together. And yeah your Dad was my training officer" he said as he quickly looked at her before looking back at the road;

"Wow, small world then" she said smiling, before stretching back to look at Leo. By the way she moved, Andy had no idea how her perfume was affecting Sam's ability to remember and concentrate on his driving. After their brief conversation though the rest of the drive to her Dad's was done in silence.

No less than twenty minutes later Sam's truck pulled up outside Tommy's apartment building. He watched Andy look up to the windows of the building and noticed her shoulder's slump as if she didn't really didn't want to be here;

"I can take you to your own apartment if you tell me where to go?" he said gently, not wanting to come across as being forceful. Andy sighed before unlocking her seat belt;

"No here is fine. All my stuff is in storage until I am back for good" She said as she gave Sam a small smile before getting out the truck. Sam was curious earlier with her comments about leaving & coming back. But now he was confused and curious but knowing that it wasn't his place to ask. Andy moving in the back seat brought him out his hazy state and made him move. Jumping out the truck he quickly moved to Andy's aid;

"Here I'll lift him, you go ahead and open the door" he said as he quickly and gently picked up Leo, trying his best not to wake him. Andy didn't hesitate and quickly did as he said. It was only a matter of minutes later and they entered Tommy's apartment and to Andy's relief there was no sign of any empty drink bottles;

"Just put him in the room at the end of the hall, it's the door on your left" she said to Sam as he just nodded and headed for the bedroom.

Andy however just collapsed onto the sofa, letting her head rest on the back with her eyes closed. Her body was finally exhausted, all the adrenaline finally giving up and leaving her body numb. Squeaking of the floor boards behind the sofa alerted her to Sam's presence;

"He's sound asleep, never woke at all. I've left the door open slightly so you can hear him" he said as he came to stand to the side of her, close to the door & hands in his pockets;

"Thanks Sam. I'll be heading down the hall soon too, I'm exhausted and emotionally drained" she said, her eyes closing again once more. Sam smiled at how innocent she actually looked. Watching her now he realized that the world seemed to be placed heavy on her shoulders. Sam stood there watching and remembering a conversation between himself, Jerry and Traci. Traci was talking about her best friend Andy McNally, how through all the bad stuff in her life, she would never complain; just always got on with it. But when she finally closed her eyes, that was the only time she ever got peace or felt at peace. Looking at the Andy, Traci was talking about he could see it; as clear as day;

"Listen...em...I'm going to go and check on Jerry. But here is my phone number incase you need anything. If you do, no matter how small you just call, ok?" Sam said as he placed his card on the coffee table and made his way to the door. Just as he went to close it behind him he heard a mumbled "Thanks Sam" before it went quiet again. Sam left the apartment building happier than he had felt in a long time.

Pulling into Jerry's driveway Sam spotted his friend sitting on the porch steps, seemingly lost in his own small world. Parking the truck and making his way to sit next to him, both where quiet until Sam decided to talk;

"I was thinking back to a conversation we had with Traci one day. She was talking about her best friend and of course you. The relationship you both had together is something that you will never lose or ever be able to replace. That is something I hope for too one day. Something the same as what you and Traci had" as Sam finished opening up which didn't really happen that often, he was telling the truth. He really did hope he'd find the right person to settle down with.

As the two friend's sat in silence, just a thirty minute drive away Andy was having the exact same thoughts. Sitting at the end of the bed, watching a sleeping Leo she realised now what she had been and was missing. The UC world had kept her back from what she was really wanting in life. Sitting here, in this moment she knew what she wanted and needed to do. She'd have this two week break, go back and finish the UC job. After that she'd transfer to 15th Division, start fresh and have a go at living a normal life.

So there you have it. Hope you all enjoy! And now with things better & less crazy at my end I can now hopefully go faster with updating. I'm off now to work on the update for my Hawaii 50 story. Back soon!